Mine
by Talz16
Summary: "I determined right then that I would return to Edward… or die trying." Bella and Edward are challenged with another obstacle. But will their love survive this new and powerful enemy from Edward's past?
1. Pre Birthday Prep

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Twilight

**Chapter 1 – Pre Birthday Prep**

BPOV

_My G-d, he is gorgeous and he is kissing me. _I laced my fingers behind his neck and pulled him closer to me, intensifying our kiss. He pulled away abruptly.

"Bella " he said sternly "You know we can't do this." Edward sat up on the leather couch and then proceeded to seat me on top of him.

I groaned. "But we can Edward, and it would only take one, little, bite." I tried to sound persuasive, but it came out more desperate. I wanted Edward to change me. I had pleaded with him hundreds of times. Unfortunately, the argument always tended to end the same way.

"Bella, please. Let's not talk about this, you know I will not change you." I glared at him. Since when did he get to end arguments before they even started? In a lighter tone he added, "Besides, it's time to get ready for Alice's party."

I turned to look at him suspiciously. "What party? Alice's Birthday isn't until Tuesday."

He shrugged. "It's her pre Birthday party, she has one every year."

"It's tonight? Where are we going? Should I go home and change?" Why do they insist on surprising me with these things!

He chuckled at my reaction. "Yes it's tonight, we are going to a club, and Alice already has an outfit picked out for you."

"Oh." I hated when Alice treated me like a doll. I also didn't really like the prospect of going clubbing. There are a million ways to fall when dancing, and chances were, I'd bring others down with me.

Edward must have seen my reaction on my face because he smiled my favorite crooked smile and said " Don't worry Bella, it'll be fun. I won't let you fall."

I frowned. "I know, I just don't really like going to clubs, with all those people and the dancing, and everything…" Then a thought hit me. "Hey, doesn't it bother you guys with so many people so close to you?" I wondered briefly about the safety of the other clubgoers

At that second Alice barged into the room. "Silly Bella. We have the VIP section. The only human dancing near us will be you." She walked purposefully towards us and grabbed my hand. "Now come on we have to get ready, I already have everything set out, you're gonna love it Edward" I rolled my eyes. Edward raised his eyebrows mischievously.

"Pervert" I managed to mutter as Alice towed me away to her and Jasper's room.

Rosalie was waiting with a hair iron.

"Stick straight, Rose. It's gonna look great." Rosalie nodded and began to straighten. Rosalie had warmed up to me considerably over the past few months.

"Now for your makeup…close your eyes." In about twenty minutes they were done torturing me. "You look amazing, Bella. I left clothes for you on the bed." I began to protest. " Bella this is for my pre birthday party, now stop complaining and put it on! Me and Rosalie have to go get ready now."

They left. On the bed was a maroon tube top and a pair of brown satin shorts, as well as matching undergarments. On the floor was a pair of incredibly high, brown pumps. Of course, leave it to Alice to pick out a gorgeous and revealing, not to mention dangerous, outfit. (Surprisingly, I have an even harder time walking with heels) I sighed. Mind as well get it over with. I slipped on the clothing and shoes and waited for Alice to return.

On cue, Alice appeared. She stared at me, a devilish smile on her lips.

"What?" Rosalie asked as she entered the room. She followed Alice's gaze.

"Wow" She breathed.

"What are you two talking about!" I was getting frustrated already. "I knew these clothes would look ridiculous on me" I muttered.

"No that's not it at all," Alice said, "Go look at yourself in the mirror." They were both looking smug now.

I got up and walked to the mirror where the two of them were standing. I looked at our reflection. Rosalie's hair was down in waves and she was wearing a short, strapless, red dress. It hugged her in all the right places and made her look even more beautiful, if possible. Alice's hair was cropped short to her ears. She looked brilliant in a hot pink top and extremely tight jeans. They were both wearing multiple pieces of jewelry, including their engagement rings.

But what stunned me the most was my own reflection. My hair hung straight past my shoulders and looked extremely shiny. My makeup was done in similar tones as my outfit. The, liner, shadow, and mascara made my brown eyes pop. A permanent blush had been set across my cheekbones and shiny pink gloss coated my lips. My clothes fit perfectly. I actually looked like I had curves. It was the first time I stood next to Alice and Rosalie and actually didn't feel blatantly ugly in comparison.

Alice and Rosalie looked at me. Rosalie was the first to speak "You look _really_ good" Alice laughed "No, you look _vampire_ good." We all laughed.

"Hey what's so funny up there? And are we going or what?" Emmett whined from downstairs, obviously getting impatient.

"We're coming!" Alice snapped.

Emmett was quiet. I laughed inwardly at the thought of tiny Alice silencing Emmet, who was at least three times her size.

I started to head down the stairs. "Wait, you need one more thing, Bella." In a second Alice was gone and back. "Here." She slipped a diamond and ruby bracelet onto my wrist. It was extremely beautiful and looked extremely expensive.

"I can't Alice. This is too much."

"Yes you can, Bella, it's a gift"

There was no way I would let Alice give this to me. "I have received enough gifts from you, Alice. I can't take this. I'll probably break it or lose it anyway..." I slipped the bracelet off and handed it to Alice.

"Bella please take it." She pushed it towards me.

"Alice it's _your_ birthday party, why do you insist upon giving things to _me_?" I pushed the bracelet back towards her.

"Yes it's my birthday and you know how I love to pamper you, you're my only human friend." She insisted

Before I could stop it the bracelet was back on my wrist. I threw my arms up in exasperation. "Why do I even both-" I didn't get a chance to finish my sentence. Somehow, in my motion of discontent I had lost balance. I felt my head thud against the wall. Then everything went black.

**Author's note: How was it? My first fanfic, so review please!**


	2. Suede

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight

**Chapter 2 - Suede**

EPOV

"Why do I even both-" She didn't finish her sentence. The next thing I heard was the bang of her head against the wall.

Oh, Bella. I swear she can't manage to pass through an hour without injuring herself. I quickly ran to the base of the stairs only to see My Angel, falling down, unconscious. I caught her in my arms easily.

"Bella? Bella are you alright?" I set her down on the couch. Alice appeared with ice. _'She's fine, I saw it'_ she told me in her head. I felt myself relax significantly.

"Bella?" She opened her eyes. "Oh, Bella"

"I- I'm fine, thank you Edward." She said holding the ice pack to her head.

She looked around at her surroundings and noticed she was downstairs. "Did I…?" She trailed off, embarrassed.

"Yes, but you fell very gracefully" I tried to keep my face serious, but I couldn't help the grin that was forming on my face. Emmet was just about to burst with laughter and the others could barely hide their amusement. Bella blushed. She looked so adorable.

"I do love it when you're embarrassed." I said touching her cheek.

"I'm so glad it's enjoyable for you." she answered sarcastically. I laughed and kissed her forehead.

"You look absolutely stunning by the way." I said lifting her up and wrapping my arms around her waist. She was wearing clothes a little too revealing for her taste, I knew, but in my opinion they suited her well.

_'I told you that you would love it'_ came Alice's thought. I just smiled and nodded to her. The only bad thing about the outfit was the inevitable male attention it would provoke. 

"I could say the same about you, Mr. Cullen." Bella said smiling. G-d she's beautiful. I don't know what I did to deserve her. I leaned in to kiss her neck, using my hand to keep the ice in place.

"Let's Go Already!" Rosalie interrupted.

I sighed but I had to agree. It was 7:00, if we wanted to get to Seattle for the night we had better get going. I took Bella and Alice in my Volvo, while Rosalie took Emmett and Jasper in her BMW.

We got to the club in record time. I parked the car in front of the entrance and quickly opened the door for Bella. She smiled and shook her head. It was a game we often played. She always tried to get out of the car before I had the chance to open the door for her. I never let her win. I wrapped my arm around her waist and kissed her jaw, her heart rate quickened responsively.

"Come on." We headed to the club, the rest of the family right behind us.

Bella looked apprehensively at the huge line before us. "This is gonna take a while."

"Silly Bella." I pulled her to the front of the line. I flashed a black VIP card at the woman by the door. She motioned to the bouncer to let us in, much to the displeasure of the others in line.

"Suede" Bella read the name of the club and raised her eyebrows.

I laughed "Bella it'll be fun."

'_Wow, isn't she a little hottie. I'd like to see what under those shorts.'_

The bouncer's thoughts whipped through my mind. I instinctively let out a low growl. Bella looked at me disapprovingly. If only she knew what guys thought around her. She intertwined her fingers with mine, to comfort me. It calmed me considerably.

The VIP section was pretty standard. It had a private dance floor and lots of couches to relax on.

"Bella let's dance!" Alice excitedly took Bella's hand. The song 'Gotta Get Thru This' was blasting over the speakers.

Bella looked nervous. I nodded at her reassuringly. Rosalie soon joined their group and both girls tried to get Bella to sway and move her hips to the rhythm. Jasper, Emmett, and I sat on a suede couch watching. Bella was failing miserably, but she looked lovely anyway.

When the song ended the girls came over to claim their respective partners and dance. Bella whined. "I can't dance Edward, I tried you saw me…"

"Maybe you just need a better teacher" I whispered in her ear seductively. She seemed dazed. I laughed as I realized I had dazzled her unintentionally.

"Hey!" Alice shouted, offended

"Let's just try" I tugged Bella back to the floor. At this point the song 'SexyBack' was blaring through the room. While I didn't particularly like the song, it had a decent dancing beat. I put Bella in front of me and moved her in sync with my motions. So far she hadn't tripped so I decided to keep it simple. I listened to the lyrics.

_Dirty Babe_

_You see these shackles baby I'm your slave_

_I'll let you whip me if I misbehave_

_It's just that no one makes me feel this way_

At least that much was true about me. No one made me feel this way. I was, in a sense, just her slave. I couldn't survive without her. I was about to lean in and tell Bella this, but suddenly something felt off. I looked around. To my right Alice and Jasper were dancing close, they hadn't noticed anything. To my left, I don't know if what Rosalie was doing to Emmett qualified as dancing, but they too seemed undisturbed. I decided to let it go. I turned my attention back to Bella. Suddenly she froze.

"What's wron-" I stopped, lifting my head to stare into the faces of 8 hostile vampires

**Author's note: Review please!**


	3. Christopher

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Twilight

**Chapter 3 – Christopher **

BPOV

Edward and I had been swaying to the music for a while without saying a word. Suddenly I stopped, horrified.

"What's wron-" Edward began. He stopped as he saw what I saw, 8 strange vampires before us.

I turned to Edward feeling uneasy, my past had taught me that not all vampires were kind and friendly, but Edward wasn't looking at me. He was staring at the new arrivals, actually, only at one of the new arrivals.

"Christopher." he breathed, full of tension and anger.

"Ah, Edward you remember me" The one called Christopher replied. There were low chuckles from his companions. They were all extremely good looking but Christopher stood out the most. He was dirty blond, with pale gold eyes, and a lean, yet muscular figure. Even in just jeans and a T - shirt he could probably dazzle any female on the planet.

"What do you want?" Edward asked, obviously mad. He slipped me behind him protectively

"Isn't it possible that I'm just here to visit an old friend?" Edward glared. "No, well, I guess I shouldn't be surprised, you never were much of a friend." Christopher continued.

" What the hell do you want?" That was Emmett. It wasn't until then that I realized that Emmett, Rosalie, Alice, and Jasper had all come to stand by me.

"Oh look, Eddie has made some little friends," I could tell Christopher had used the name Eddie specifically to piss off Edward. " I guess he hasn't betrayed you yet, then" Christopher laughed. I saw Edward whisper something to Alice out of the corner of his mouth, but it was too low for human ears.

"Christopher, if there's nothing you want then I guess you should leave" Edward spoke through his teeth. At the same moment Alice tugged my arm. In a second I was in her arms and we were zooming towards the exit of the room.

Realization came over me. Alice was escaping with me. I wondered who Christopher was and how Edward betrayed him. I couldn't picture Edward betraying anyone. I would ask Alice later.

All of a sudden I heard a sound like thunder and I was flying backwards. A pair of strong, cold arms caught me. I cried out because the impact hurt, but it was much better than hitting the floor. I looked up expecting Edward's face, but found myself in one of the other vampire's arms.

"Bella!" Edward yelled " Bella are you ok!" He was a blur rushing to my side.

"Alice!" Jasper looked livid. I saw Alice getting up about 10 feet from me. Apparently she, too, had been flung into the air. She seemed fine, although there was a dent in the floor.

"I'm fine." She said brushing herself off, but she looked angry.

I saw how we had been stopped. Two vampires had reached the door before us and had blocked it, but how had they got there before Alice? They had been standing much farther away, I was sure.

The vampire holding me was eyeing me curiously. "Give her to me!" Edward roared. I was suddenly in Christopher's arms.

"And who is this? Oh no, Edward you didn't, She isn't… Ha Ha!" He cried with visible delight. He seemed to struggle with composing himself. He finally stopped laughing "I'm sorry this is just too good" he looked down at me "Are you alright dear?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine" I said stiffly, more for Edward's sake than Christopher's. I struggled to get out of his grasp, he seemed to only find that more amusing.

"Give me to Edward. Put me down, Christopher." He laughed more. Finally he let me stand, but his arms kept me prisoner.

"Why don't we introduce ourselves? I am Christopher, but you can call me Chris." He winked at me. "These are my friends Cameron, Marc, Jake, Alex, Eric, Sam, and Alan. Now what's your name sweetheart?" I didn't answer out of spite, I mean this vampire was not letting me go to Edward, a serious offence in my book. Chris grinned and gestured to the one introduced as Alan.

"Introduce yourselves and your powers" Alan said in a voice so smooth it was unnatural.

"Rosalie"

"Jasper, empath"

"Emmett"

"Alice, I see the future"

"Edward, mind - reader"

They each answered respectively. I was surprised they agreed so easily, why would they admit their powers? Now all eyes were on me. The Cullens all looked slightly entranced, and the other eight looked at me a little shocked.

I hesitated. Something wasn't right about the Cullens' expressions." My name is Bella" Chris had loosened his grip sometime during his introduction, so I used the opportunity to escape. I ran and slammed into Edward. He came out of his daze and promptly put me behind him.

Chris didn't seem phased. "I have to hand it to you Edward, she is a feisty one, but tell me what were you planning on doing? She will get older you know… and die eventually. Unless you planned on changing her, like I would've. No, you wouldn't, you don't have the guts. Maybe I'll just have to do it for you." The last part got Edward furious. He crouched down in a protective stance and snarled, showing his teeth.

Chris guffawed arrogantly. "So you mean to protect her, Edward? Well you can't protect her from everything" He smiled slyly as his eyes focused on me. I threw my head back and gasped as I felt the strangest sensation take over me.

**Author's Note**: **Reviews are my motivation to update!**


	4. Dirty Dancing

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Twilight

**Chapter 4 – Dirty Dancing**

EPOV

"So you mean to protect her, Edward? Well you can't protect her from everything" Christopher threatened. What the hell is he talking about? I saw him smile as his eyes focused on Bella. She threw her head back and gasped. Her eyes snapped shut.

"Bella!" I screamed, but she didn't respond. What the hell is happening to her? Christopher's power was mind projection, was he projecting terrible thoughts into her mind? No, this looked like more than that; maybe it was one of the other vampire's powers.

I rushed over to her. Alice was shaking Bella softly, trying to snap her out of it. Jasper was sending waves of calm towards her. Emmett was about two seconds away from attacking Christopher and Rosalie was only restraining him halfheartedly.

"You'll like this Edward, trust me" Christopher taunted

"What have you done to her!" I roared. I tried reading his mind. Nothing. I tried the other seven. Nothing. It was like hitting a brick wall. I was frantic.

'_Look she's waking up.'_ Alice thought. For a moment no one spoke and the only sound was from the speakers, which were still blaring dance songs. Bella opened her eyes and smiled. The song 'Toxic' began to play.

"Bella are you ok? What did he do to you?" I asked her concerned. Her smile widened. I was so confused, why isn't she answering? What she did next surprised me even more. She sauntered over to me and wrapped her arms around my neck. She leaned into me and began to sing along with the song.

_Baby, can't you see  
I'm calling  
A guy like you  
Should wear a warning  
It's dangerous  
I'm fallin'_

She turned around and slid herself down my body. I didn't know what had come over her she was acting so… out of character. I stood still in shock.

_There's no escapeI can't wait  
I need a hint  
Baby, give me it  
You're dangerous_

_I'm lovin' it_

As she sang she walked around me and shook her hips. Then she leaned in and bit my earlobe. Hard. Well, it was at least hard enough for me to feel the sensation.

"Bella" I gasped. I'd never seen her act like this, it was just so not like her. She wasn't tripping at all and she was dancing very well. She kept singing as she started to head towards the other vampires, swaying her hips. I reached out to grab her wrist and stop her, but she was too quick and moved her hand before I could catch her. How could Bella's reflexes be so quick? I looked at Christopher; he was grinning like a maniac.

_Too high  
Can't come down  
Losing my head  
Spinning 'round and 'round  
Do you feel me now_

"Well if you're not going to dance with her, mind as well let someone else have the pleasure." Christopher sneered.

Bella was now dancing sexily with Christopher's gang. She slid up against the red haired vampire, I think his name was Eric. He put his hands on her waist and grinded against her. How dare he touch her! What was she doing? I heard Emmett's growl, he was similarly outraged. All my family's thoughts were angry, but Jasper's were the most disturbing.

'_I can't believe this, she's not feeling anything. It's like she's not even there, or her mind isn't working. Oh God, I don't think she's in control of herself. I think he's making her do this!'_

Making her do this. The words flashed through my mind. Then it hit me. Mind control. The bastard is controlling her! My poor Bella was being forced to grind up against that filthy vampire.

_With a taste of your lips  
I'm on a ride  
You're toxic I'm slipping under_

Bella continued singing as she moved throughout the group. She was now dancing extremely provocatively between Sam and Cameron.

_With a taste of a poison paradise  
I'm addicted to you  
Don't you know that you're toxic  
_

"Bella has a wonderful voice and she's quite the dancer isn't she?" Christopher mocked.

"You're controlling her! Let her go!" I was enraged. Christopher only laughed. "You want to get back at me. Don't involve her, she's just a girl." I yelled.

_And I love what you do  
Don't you know that you're toxic_

"Ah, Edward, if only it were that simple. You see I now control one of the largest covens in the world, these are just a few friends with some… formidable gifts. And while I came here with only the intention of killing you, I think I have just devised a better plan. One that's more appropriate." Christopher jeered.

_It's getting late  
To give you up  
I took a sip  
From my devil's cup  
Slowly  
It's taking over me_

Bella was now slithering herself against Alan. He pulled her closer and licked her jaw. That was it. I had never been so incensed in my life. I snarled and crouched about to spring on to the scum who dared to touch my angel. The rest of my family was in similar positions. I made a move to pounce, but I couldn't. It was like cement had bound me to the floor. I heard laughs.

"Maybe I should give you a more personal introduction to my friends. This is Alex and his power is paralysis." said Christopher. "Oh and I believe you've already encountered Alan's gift. Persuasion. But enough about them, shall we discuss the situation at hand?"

"How are you doing that?" I managed to mutter though my lips would barely budge. Paralysis and persuasion don't add up to mind control. Bella was now making her way over to Christopher.

"I was wondering when you would ask about the mind control. Well let's just say that I kept a little secret from you, back in the day. Mind projection is my vampire power, but I was able to control people even when I was human."

_Too high  
Can't come down  
It's in the air  
And it's all around  
Can you feel me now_

What the hell are we going to do? I'm standing here paralyzed and he can make Bella do anything he wants. I brought this upon her. I won't live with myself if something happens to her. Bella danced against Christopher and he responded, grinning. I wanted to rip him to shreds.

_With a taste of your lips  
I'm on a ride  
You're toxic I'm slipping under  
With a taste of a poison paradise  
I'm addicted to you  
Don't you know that you're toxic_

Then she stopped singing. Christopher lifted Bella up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Then he leaned in and kissed her passionately. He shoved his unworthy tongue into her mouth and she eagerly accepted it.

"Bella!" I yelled as if my life depended on it. For a second she looked confused, then scared, but she was unable to stop kissing him. I wanted to rescue her so badly, but the only thing that wasn't impaired was my mind, and there was some kind of block over Christopher. I read my family's thoughts.

'_The scum! I am going to kill him, that is, if I can get there before Edward. I just wish I could move.'_ Emmett.

'_He could hurt her, I wish I could see if she'll be ok, but there's some kind of block.' _Alice.

'_The bastard is forcing her to kiss him and we're paralyzed. I am going to murder every inch of him and set him on fire. He belongs in hell.'_ I wasn't expecting that kind of anger from Rosalie.

'_He's feeling anger and a little bit of love? No that can't be right, he doesn't love Bella.'_ Jasper.

"Bella!" I screamed again, not caring about the pain of fighting the paralysis. He was kissing her, he could so easily lose control and kill her. "Bella, it's me, Edward!" She paused with recognition, but then returned to kissing him. Maybe if I reminded her, she could break out of his power. "Bella he's controlling you. Please fight it! Fight it for me! I love you!"

The last words seemed to catch her attention. She pulled away, looking dazed and she began to murmur. " I love you. fight it. for me. I love you. Edward…"

Christopher growled and seemed to focus more. It was working. She was breaking free. "Yes Bella, I love you! It's me, Edward. I love you." I was speaking freely now. I could move, too. Obviously, the others hadn't noticed. I leaped and snatched Bella from Christopher.

"Edward!" Bella cried and then fainted.

**Author's note: Questions? Comments? I'm gonna need some more reviews if you want me to update.**


	5. Angels

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight

**Chapter 5 – Angels**

BPOV

The blond man holding me growled and seemed to focus more on me, but I didn't know why or for that matter, why he was holding me. My head was filled with memories of someone else. We were talking in a meadow. We were laughing at a dance. He was holding me at night, whispering 'I love you.' It seemed like an eternity since I had been disconnected from my body. I could see and hear everything around me, but it was like it was happening to someone else. I knew I was speaking, but they weren't my words. I knew I was moving, but they weren't my movements. What's happening to me? Things were becoming a little bit clearer in my mind, but it was still murky. Bella, Edward... I know I've heard those names before.

"Yes Bella, I love you! It's me, Edward. I love you," a voice shouted. It was so familiar. The voice was so beautiful, musical almost. For some reason it made me happy to hear it. I looked into the face of the blond man and it made me feel sick. He was angry, but he also looked a little impressed. Why do I feel like I hate him? I don't even know him.

All of a sudden there was a blur of movement and I was in someone else's arms. A beautiful, bronze haired man, with topaz eyes. Then the murkiness was gone. Now it felt like someone was squashing me under immense pressure, but I could remember. All my memories came flooding back to me and I knew the bronze haired boy was in fact my angel.

"Edward!" I cried and then darkness took over me.

I have to wake up I screamed at myself mentally. I have to see Edward. I can't stay here in the dark. I finally regain my body and now this happens. I felt something wet and cold on my face.

"Bella, Oh God, Bella please wake up." I heard Edward's angelic voice overcome with pain. Don't be upset, Angel, I love you, I wanted to tell him, but I couldn't speak through the blanket of darkness. I felt a splash of wetness on my face again.

"Bella, if you don't wake up, I'll die. No, I'll kill myself." Edward spoke decisively.

Kill himself! No way in hell would I let him do anything to himself because of me and worst of all, I could tell by his tone that he was completely serious. I felt fear and anger coursing through my veins. This whole thing is entirely Chris's fault! I am going to give him a piece of my mind as soon as I can get up. I clenched my jaw in fury. I could see that Edward was staring at Chris with pure hatred. Wait, I could see! I was awake.

"Edward" I groaned, my voice awfully hoarse. I felt wetness all over my face, obviously someone had tried to wake me up with water.

"Bella, you're okay!" relief filled his voice. He rushed over to me and hugged me to his chest.

"Ah Bella, I was quite worried about you, you know, no one has ever fought my control before, it was very impressive." Chris didn't even seem irked at all by this whole situation. That just got me angrier.

"Why did you control me in the first place?" I steamed. Chris just smiled and ignored my question.

"You know, your Edward truly loves you. It's quite a wonder to me, I'll admit. You may not know this, dear Bella, but you and Edward are quite different from one another." Chris mused. Edward growled.

I didn't really understand what he was talking about. Was he referring to Edward's perfection and my plainness? I couldn't argue with that. Edward and I had many differences, most stemmed from the fact that I was human and he was a vampire. Is that what Chris was getting at?

"Yes, Edward loves you. But you won't love him once you know his secret." Chris laughed, savoring the moment. "Your precious little Edward is. a. Monster. A vampire to be exact. He's immortal."

I stood there mouth agape. I knew Edward was a vampire, that was old news, but I had thought Chris knew about my knowledge as well. I inwardly laughed at the fact that Chris thought he was revealing some huge secret. The whole thing was slightly humorous.

"I know, you probably think I'm crazy or that this is some kind of joke, but I promise you Edward is a vampire, all of the Cullens are." He said. I still didn't respond. A small smile still played across my lips.

"Oh well, I guess I'll just have to prove it to you" Before I could blink Chris had retrieved a giant knife from somewhere and was racing towards Edward. Edward was too concerned and focused on me and therefore wasn't able to dodge Chris before the knife was plunged into his stomach.

"Edward!" I screamed. I didn't know the effects of stabbing on a vampire, but they couldn't be good. I felt tears trail down my cheeks before I could stop them.

"Bella, Bella. I'm okay. Don't cry. Don't ever worry about me." Edward soothed. In truth, Edward looked uncomfortable but overall fine. I almost passed out with relief.

"So as you can see, he can not die. He's a vampire." Chris paused dramatically. "Bella, he drinks blood."

"Yeah, animal blood." I spat at him. The bastard had stabbed Edward.

The look on Chris's face was priceless. His expression flitted from confusion, to embarrassment, to anger and then back to confusion. He had obviously meant for me to find out and run away or something, much like what Edward had expected when I first found out. Realization hit Chris.

"You already know?" Chris was obviously shocked. I just nodded in response. "You know what they are and you still love them? They're vampires. Your boyfriend thirsts for your blood. He's a monster!" Chris seethed.

I saw Edward cringe at the term and it broke my heart. This was the main area of all Edward's insecurities. This was the reason Edward wouldn't change me. Edward had always thought of himself as a monster, he was ashamed of what he was. Chris's words were strategically hurting my love. It was my turn to get angry.

"Stop calling him that!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. "He is not a monster, he's my angel and I love him. I love all of them. So what if they drink blood, everyone has faults; they can't help what they are. They fight their urges and drink from animals instead of people, because they're good, actually, better than good. In my book, they're all angels. Oh and don't think I haven't noticed that you and your friends are also vampires. I see your gold eyes and super abilities. I know what you are and I don't hate _you_ for it." I finished.

I looked at all the faces around me. Alice, Jasper, and Emmett seemed touched, their expressions were heartwarming. Rosalie looked absolutely stunned, although I didn't truly know why. The vampires from the other group looked much less hostile now. They were thoughtful. Edward was gazing at me with so much love I thought my heart would burst. I stared hard at Chris, but his eyes didn't meet my steely gaze. He had the most curious expression as he looked down. It was utter sadness.

He met my glare at last and his expression changed. He smiled at me longingly like a prize he had to have. I was once again uneasy.

"Well Edward, it seems you have found one of the most spectacular beings, I have ever come across. I would offer my congratulations, except for the teeny, little matter of my revenge and all." Edward, Emmett, Jasper and Alice all growled. Rosalie still looked a little stunned. She seemed to be lost in thought.

"You betrayed me and lost me the only woman I'd ever loved. I was going to kill you, initially, but then I saw that you, too, had acquired a lovely human." Chris chuckled. "I would have been satisfied if she had just broken your heart and left you when I told her what we are, but I see that is not going to be the case with little Bella here. It's amazing, I could almost swear she admires us."

Edward hugged me closer to him, suspicious. Chris noticed and laughed. "She is rather enamoring and so I've decided I want her for myself." He paused for a moment and chose his words carefully and then said

"Hand over Bella and no one gets hurt."

**Author's note: First, thanks to all my previous reviewers, I think I'm gonna start dedicating chapters to you guys. Second, I'm going to need some serious motivation to update once school starts, so REVIEW!**


	6. Choices

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight

Okay, this chapter is dedicated to Asquared91 and Passionfornight for all their reviews. Every chapter will be dedicated to different reviewers from now on I think. Hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 6 – Choices**

EPOV

"You betrayed me and lost me the only woman I'd ever loved. I was going to kill you, initially, but then I saw that you, too, had acquired a lovely human." Chris chuckled. What was he getting at?

"I would have been satisfied if she had just broken your heart and left you when I told her what we are, but I see that is not going to be the case with little Bella here. It's amazing, I could almost swear she admires us." That's because she does, I almost snorted. It was irking me the way Chris already knew Bella.

I hugged her closer to me, suspicious. Chris noticed and laughed. "She is rather enamoring and so I've decided I want her for myself." He paused for a moment and chose his words carefully and then said

"Hand over Bella and no one gets hurt."

"WHAT!" I cried, outraged. "NEVER!" I glanced at Bella. Her eyes were wide with shock. Now, more than ever I wished I could read her mind, but only my family's thoughts flew through my brain.

'_Is he crazy we'd never do that, we love Bella!'_

'_Ha Ha, if he thinks it's gonna be that easy he's got another thing coming'_

'_Finally. I was waiting for the opportunity to rip him to shreds.'_

_'After what Bella said for us, we'd be insane not to fight for her'_

Good. At least they were behind me. If it came down to a fight. they'd be on my side.

"Ah, I thought we might reach a bit of a snag. But think about it, you lost me my love, it's only fair that I take yours. Handing her over peacefully only allows you and your little family to keep your lives as a bonus." Chris taunted.

"Christopher, we both know that what you were doing was wrong. I don't regret what I did and I will never. NEVER. Hand Bella over peacefully, so you can forget it!" I yelled with force. Chris's eyes had gone flat black for a moment but then he snapped back and grinned. He was changing tactics.

"We both know that I can offer Bella… great things." He said turning to her. "I can give her everything she's ever wanted. Everything she could dream of. I could give her a palace, power, even children. I would change her, something you would never do, Edward. So why not let her choose for herself?" Chris grinned slyly. Even if he could give her the world, Bella would never go with him, right? But I admit I could never give her any of those things, I just couldn't damn Bella to life as a vampire, and only Chris had hundreds of talented vampires at his command. I didn't know if Bella wanted kids, but if she did… I looked down at her. Her eyes were slightly clouded over, as if in thought. Was she seriously thinking it over? Could I blame her?

She took three steps toward him. She was making her choice. I was too shocked and upset to stop her. After all, he would give her everything, even immortality, which I was sure she wanted. Then suddenly she gasped and shook her head, her eyes flaming with anger.

"NO" she yelled at Chris. "How dare you try to control me again! I love Edward and I will never go with you, no matter what you could give me, you scum!" she hurried back to me and buried her face in my chest.

So that's what was happening. He was trying to make her leave me. I began to shake with fury, Bella's delicate body against me was the only thing keeping me from lunging at him that very second. The grin had been momentarily wiped off his face, probably because he realized he couldn't control Bella, but he snapped back unperturbed.

"Bella, you have proved to be the most challenging, charming creature I have ever had the pleasure to meet.I admire your determination. Belle but, you see I am accustomed to getting what I want, so rest assured Bella, you will be mine."

"Never" I spat, hatred evident in my tone.

"Oh," he leered. "And what are you going to do about it? If you haven't noticed you're outnumbered, 8 to 6, not to mention the advantage of our gifts." Chris reveled in his moment of triumph. His words disgusted me, but they rang with truth. It had just occured to me that I was the underdog in this battle. If we fought, he would win. We wouldn't even stand a chance, even if we could break the paralysis again. I looked around, my family, as well as Bella, was thinking over Chris's words.

For the first time tonight they looked truly worried. It was a lose – lose situation. Fight them and we would all die and lose Bella anyway. But handing Bella over peacefully was equally horrific. I couldn't live without her. What scared me the most was Bella's expression. I knew that look. Contemplation. If it came down to it, she would go with him to spare our lives. That was Bella. She cared more about my family and me than herself. I didn't know what to do.

"So what will it be, Bella? The Cullens die, and then I take you or you come with me now, and no one gets hurt." He asked her, his smirk, deepening.

Bella didn't get a chance to reply, because at that second six new vampires burst into the room and I'd never been happier to see them in my life.

**Author's note: Sorry if it was short, but I have tons of homework, please REVIEW if you want me to update.**


	7. Safe

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Twilight

This chapter is dedicated to IluvECullen and londongirl016 for their many reviews. Thanx 2 all reviewers.

**Chapter 7 – Safe **

BPOV

"So what will it be, Bella? The Cullens die, and then I take you or you come with me now, and no one gets hurt." He asked me, his smirk deepening. This was probably the hardest thing I would ever have to do.

I opened my mouth to speak but I didn't get a chance to reply, because at that second six new vampires burst into the room and I'd never been happier to see them in my life.

"Carlisle" Chris spat.

"Christopher" Carlisle spat back, equally as menacing. Carlisle, Esme, and four other vampires that I didn't recognize stood by the gaping hole in the wall they had created with their entrance.

"What a delightful surprise, I didn't expect to see you here" Chris jeered evilly.

"Let's just say I heard you were stopping by" Carlisle replied with a clenched jaw. Esme and the others hurried to our side.

"Oh, I see. Little Edward here couldn't fight his own battles, so he called Daddy for help." Chuckles from all Chris's friends ensued.

"Actually, once you involved Bella, it became my battle too, you see we've all grown very attached to her." Carlisle smiled at me.

"Well then I'm afraid we're going to have a problem, because I want Bella and I always get what I want." Chris's smirk sent a chill down my spine and Edward held me closer, never taking his eyes off Chris for a second.

"Not always, if I recall, Christopher." Carlisle replied harshly. Chris's eyes darkened with fury, but his expression remained emotionless.

"Oh yes, there was that one time… when your _son _interfered. It happens to be the reason I'm here now. If Edward hadn't chased her away-"

"She ran way" Carlisle interrupted.

"If he hadn't told her-" Chris growled.

"It would have been too late" Carlisle interrupted again.

"She would have been happy!" Chris yelled, his calm facade gone.

"She didn't know what you were! You weren't going to give her a choice, you were just going to change her!" It was obvious Carlisle found this personally offensive.

"It was none of your business. You gave Edward your advice and Edward betrayed me. He went behind my back and told her in the worst way possible. I lost her because of you" Chris said, turning towards Edward. "So it's only normal for me to take your love as revenge. But don't worry Edward. I'm not going to let her run away, no, no. I am going to keep her. We'll make a great couple don't you think?"

So that's what happened between them. Chris was apparently going to change this girl, without her even knowing first; no wonder Carlisle was so pissed. She didn't even know he was a vampire! What if she didn't want that kind of life? So Edward had betrayed him, but he had done the right thing. Chris said that Edward had told her 'the worst way possible', I wondered what that meant… She had run when she found out. It all made sense. It especially explained why Edward always thought I would run once I knew… But I wasn't that girl, Edward could be the devil himself and I would still love him. Now this twisted son of a bitch was trying to mess up my life and I was pretty sick of it already.

"We will not make a great couple, you sicko." I told him angrily, grabbing Edward's hand. Chris sighed.

"Bella, Bella, Bella. I wish we could've done this peacefully, but I see now that I'm going to have to fight for you and I can't say I'll be sorry when we win and kill your precious friends" Chris said cruelly. Damn it, he knew just what to say to get to me. I visibly paled with the thought of any of them getting hurt.

"Oh, and why do you have this delusion that you'll win?" Carlisle asked him "You may have outnumbered them before but now we're 11 to 8." It was true, I noticed. The tables had turned in that sense, but still, I realized, Chris's side would probably win due to their powers. Judging by Chris's smile I assumed that Chris too had realized that factor.

"We are a … considerably talented group" Chris cooed

"As are we." It was one of the vampires I didn't recognize that spoke. He looked to be about the same age as Carlisle, in human years, at least. He looked smart and confident, but he had no idea just how powerful Chris and his friends were.

Chris nodded, almost imperceptibly towards Alan, and I knew what he was going to do.

"What are your powers?" Alan purred in that disgustingly smooth voice.

I was expecting the immediate answers Alan's power evoked, but none of the Cullens or new vampires spoke. A wide grin spread across Carlisle's face. Chris looked upset.

"I told you we are powerful." The same vampire spoke again "My power works like a shield, so your powers have no affect on us." These words had effect on Chris and his group. They began to shift nervously and whisper to each other.

"So you see it would really be in your best interest to leave Bella now peacefully, so we aren't forced to kill you." Carlisle said coolly. Chris glared at Carlisle, but then turned and spoke silently to his friends. After a few seconds he faced us again, defeat in his frown, but a glint in his eye.

"So you want to play, Carlisle? Well we both have our tricks. Make no mistake. Bella will be mine." He smirked mischievously and then the their whole group just disappeared.

"What? Where did they go?" I asked, completely confused. It was one thing to run fast. It was another to just disappear into thin air.

"One of their powers is probably teleportation. They can just appear and disappear anywhere." Edward said to me.

"Oh" I didn't know what else to say, tonight had been… I got a little nauseous just thinking about it.

"Are you alright dear?" Esme asked in a concerned tone. Now that she mentioned it, I felt weak. I started to collapse, but Edward caught me.

"Oh God, Bella are you ok? What am I saying? Of course you're not okay" Edward cradled me like a baby.

"We should get out of here." Alice stated. I nodded in agreement and in literally a second I was in the backseat of the Volvo resting my head on Edward's lap.

"Who's gonna drive?" I asked him softly.

"Alice will, don't worry, close your eyes" He told me gently. I didn't even feel myself fall asleep. After seemed like minutes later, I woke up. Edward was carrying me up to his room.

"Edward, what did Chris mean when he said you showed her 'the worst way possible'?" I asked him.

"I'll tell you tomorrow." He answered softly.

"Edward, who are those other vampires?" I asked him as he laid me on his couch.

"Shh. Tomorrow, Bella"

"But Edward what are we going to do?"

"We will discuss everything tomorrow, for now just go to sleep."

"I need pajamas" It sounded childish, but these clothes were really not for sleeping in. Edward laughed lightly.

"Here put this on, I'll come back when you're done" He handed me one of his T – Shirts. It smelled like him. As I took off my shorts, I heard a crackling sound, like paper. I dug into my pocket and found it. A note. I quickly read it and started to cry.

_Dear Bella,_

_I am truly sorry we had to meet under these circumstances but what's done is done. I may have walked away from the fight tonight, but you should know, I will not rest until I have you. Even though it is beyond me, I see how much you love the Cullens so I will give you a choice. Tomorrow, I will give you directions as to escape the Cullens and be brought to me. If you follow directions and leave Edward, without telling anyone about this, I will spare their lives. If not, I control hundreds of vampires, many of them powerful. I will attack full force and destroy every single one of them and then kidnap you. Remember, their lives depend on your choice. Choose wisely._

_Sincerely,_

_Chris_

He was going to kill them if I didn't go. I stuffed the note back into the pocket and threw myself onto the couch as Edward came into the room. They would die and it would be all my fault. I cried even harder.

"Oh Bella, don't cry, you're safe now, I promise" He murmured into my ear. I snuggled gratefully against him. Yes. I was safe for now, but only one thing echoed in my mind as I fell asleep.

_Choose wisely_

Author's note: Questions? Comments? If I don't get 20 Reviews then this story stops... So PLEASE REVIEW!


	8. England

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight **

This chapter is dedicated to Midnight1987 and rin09. Thanx for the thoughtful reviews.

**Chapter 8 – England**

EPOV 

I ran upstairs and came back into my bedroom after handing her my shirt. Bella had thrown herself onto the couch, sobbing. The poor thing, how could she possibly handle something like this?

"Oh Bella, don't cry, you're safe now, I promise" I murmured into her ear, as I stroked her hair soothingly.

Yes. She was safe for now, but for how long? Chris controlled hundreds of vampires and he is nothing if not determined. Besides that, he was very manipulative. What could I do if he threatened to kill us again? Would Bella leave me for my own safety? I held Bella close and tried to calm her but one thing echoed in my mind as she fell asleep.

_What would she have chosen?_

Bella had not gotten the chance to answer to Chris's ultimatum due to Carlisle's interference, but if she'd had the chance what would she have done? Or better yet what would she do if she were offered it again? I tried to put myself in the same position. If I had to either leave Bella, or she and her family would die what would I do? To have Bella die because of my choice was unfathomable. I could never do it. But to live without her… To know she was alive and wanting to see me, but to not be able to see her or feel her… that was just as terrible, if not worse. No matter what, I knew I could not let Bella get the chance to choose again.

I thought about this the entire night, as I held her. A few times she muttered phrases like "you promised" or "goodbye" I wanted so badly to know what she was dreaming about. I wanted so badly just to dive into the depths of Bella's mind and see her thoughts about tonight. Unfortunately Bella's mind was the only mind I could not read, so I knew I would just have to wait till she woke up to ask. After what only seemed like seconds later, Bella began to stir.

"Edward" She said turning to me.

"Good morning, love" I watched a slight frown form on her face as she remembered the events of the night before.

"Good morning. But Edward, you promised." She said determinedly. I chuckled.

"Is that what you were dreaming of, Bella? Getting answers." She looked distracted for a moment and then frowned more deeply.

"I – I don't remember what my dream was about. But Edward you said-" She said changing the subject back to her questions. G-d, she was relentless.

"Love, why don't you go take a human moment and then we'll discuss everything." I told her and kissed her forehead. "There are some clothes on the counter that Alice brought for you last night." Her expression flashed reluctance but then she nodded and left the room.

I waited in my room a while before I went downstairs to prepare her some breakfast. The whole family, along with the Neilans, was waiting in the living room, watching me intently. I blocked out their minds, not wanting to hear their anxious thoughts. I went into the kitchen and began to make Bella pancakes with some ingredients we had around.

"How is she?" Esme asked as she entered the kitchen.

"I don't know, but she has a lot of questions." I smiled halfheartedly.

"It'll be all right, dear, we'll figure everything out." Esme gave me a reassuring hug. I finished the pancakes and brought them out to the living room. Bella was taking a long time in the bathroom, but maybe the warm water would help sooth her.

"So - " Emmett stopped as we heard the bathroom door close upstairs. Bella inhaled deeply and then started descending the stairs slowly, so as not to trip. She blushed a beautiful pink, when she realized everyone's stares.

"Good morning everyone" She said as she made her way over to me. They all muttered replies as I breathed in her fresh scent and kissed her on her lips. I expected her to pull away quickly, as we were accustomed to, but she stayed pressed against me. Usually Bella was uncomfortable at showing our affection in front of others, especially strangers, but I guess this whole ordeal had gotten her very shaken up. I lightly pushed her away, onto the couch and handed her the plate of food.

"Edward, you shouldn't have" She chastised me with a small frown. I could tell she meant it though, Bella hated being spoiled.

"I know but I did" I smiled back at her and handed her a fork. She took a bite and nodded her appreciation.

"Whoa" Luke Neilan said, obviously fascinated by Bella's eating habits. Luke never had trouble expressing himself. Bella looked up and I noticed that all the Neilans were fixedly watching Bella chew her food. It occurred to me that they probably had never seen a human eat before. Bella swallowed and put her fork down.

"Umm, not to be rude or anything but, who are you?" She asked Luke. Her gaze shifted to all the new people in the room.

"Oh, how inconsiderate of me I'm Luke. Luke Neilan" He gave her a dazzling smile and walked forward to shake her hand. He stared down at the pancakes in wonder. "Do you mind if I -?" He picked up a piece of pancake with the fork and brought it to Bella's mouth. She blushed brightly when she realized he wanted to feed it to her.

'_How does she eat this? Ha ha ha, look at her blush, she's adorable, no wonder that Christopher wants her'_ I read Luke's thoughts and growled loudly. Luke gave the fork to Bella and put his hands up in mock surrender.

"I just wanted to see how the whole eating thing works, I wasn't going to try anything" He said with a grin. At that point, everyone started laughing.

"Oh don't mind Luke, he's just a clown. I'm Diane Neilan, this is my husband John, and this is Sara" Diane told Bella pointing to each of her family members in turn. "We're old friends of the Cullens, from England."

"I'm Bella Swan, nice to meet you all, oh and thanks for coming to the rescue the other night." Bella smiled politely.

"It was our pleasure" John said. I came up behind Bella and rubbed her back tenderly.

"But, well, I was wondering… how did you know to come?" Bella asked, unable to contain her curiosity. I smiled down at her.

"As soon as Chris showed up, I asked Alice to do two things. One was to escape with you, which obviously failed, and the other was to text message Carlisle." I told Bella.

"Oh" she said. Carlisle took this as his cue to continue.

"We were relatively close by. Actually on our way home to Forks with the Neilans, when we got the message, and I immediately knew he'd be trouble" Carlisle paused. "But I expected him to go after Edward, not you Bella" He turned to me for a reply.

"That was his plan originally, but you know Bella has to always go and be so appealing" I grinned playfully at her, "So he changed his mind" I told Carlisle

"So he had no previous knowledge of Bella?" Carlisle asked. I shook my head. "Well that's good news." he finished.

"What is?" Emmett asked.

"That at least he has no one on his side who can see the future. So he won't know where we're going, who we're with…We can use that to our advantage." Carlisle said.

"What do you suggest we do?" I asked him.

"We run." Carlisle stated simply.

I looked at Bella to gage her reaction. She looked both stunned and aprehensive.

"Is there no other way?" Esme asked.

"Well we can't fight them, they're too powerful, even if John's power shield could hold up against hundreds, their numbers alone would defeat us." Carlisle sighed. "Leaving is our only option."

Bella shook her head fiercely. "I am not going to let you leave your home for me." She said firmly.

"Bella, this would have happened anyway, Chris would still be after me, even if he never met you." I told her.

"Maybe, but still, I can't just pick up and leave to – where would we even go?"

"England" Luke said surely. We all stared at him.

"Actually, England doesn't sound like a bad idea, you can easily come live by us" John stated.

"Yes, that might actually work" Carlisle thought it over. "First we would drive to some other state, to throw him off our trail, and then we could fly to England under fake names. He won't be able to find us."

"But what about school, what about Charlie? I can't just move to England!" Bella exclaimed.

"Bella, there are schools in England, and we can tell Charlie you've been offered an exchange program at Oxford or something. We can easily forge all the papers." I told her and then sighed. "Bella, I don't like this plan any more than you do, but I blame myself for all of this and I am not going to let Chris get you. Plus, this may turn out to be a temporary thing."

"Yeah, temporary" Bella muttered darkly. She took a deep breath. "Well I guess we have no other choice." She gave in.

Alice squealed. "Come on Bella, let's go pack and tell Charlie. Now I know this isn't the best thing that could happen, but it's going to be so much fun, you'll love England." Alice rambled as she towed Bella towards the door.

"Bella, I am going to take care of some things here, I'll be over to pick you up in a few hours, ok?"

"Ok" She responded and pulled me into another long kiss.

"I love you." I said

"I love you, too" She responded. Then she turned around to look at my house as if for the last time. "I'm gonna miss it here" She whispered, but we all heard.

"Yeah, me too" I said as Alice and Bella left. I looked around at my family's solemn expressions. G-d, what had I gotten us all into?

**Author's note: Hey, don't worry guys this chapter was more of a filler than anything else, there'll be more action in the next ones, Chris is not finished I promise! But you will only get to find out what happens if you review. 20 reviews or the story stops. I'm serious, and I don't mind anonymous ones either!**


	9. Goodbye

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight**

**This chapter is dedicated to Darth Viper and Grumpu84 for their reviews. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 9 – Goodbye **

BPOV 

Alice squealed. "Come on Bella, let's go pack and tell Charlie. Now I know this isn't the best thing that could happen, but it's going to be so much fun, you'll love England." Alice rambled as she towed me towards the door. Yeah, too bad I wouldn't get the chance to see it. At least this exchange program excuse would take care of Charlie for a while; he won't call the FBI as soon as Christopher takes me.

"Bella, I am going to take care of some things here, I'll be over to pick you up in a few hours, ok?" Edward asked me. I was reluctant to be apart from him for even a second now that our time was so limited together but I new I would have to go along with it.

"Ok" I responded and pulled him into another long kiss. Our kisses, too, were numbered and I would try to make them last as long as I could.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too" I responded. G-d, how I was going to miss saying that to him. Then I turned around to look at the Cullen house for the last time. It was beautiful, like another home to me. "I'm gonna miss it here" I whispered, but I'm sure they all heard. They probably just assumed I was talking about leaving to England, though, only I knew that I would never come back.

"Yeah, me too" I could have sworn I heard Edward say as Alice and I left.

The next few hours all passed in a blur. The first thing we did was tell Charlie. He, of course, was very doubtful about the whole thing, so Alice had to keep reassuring him that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and that she would be with me the whole time, us being the two students selected from Forks for the 'elite program' and all. In the end Alice had to dazzle Charlie a fair amountto for him to let me go. She also told him that the whole Cullen family was moving to New York, because Carlisle got a better job offer, but that Esme hated big cities, so there was a chance they'd be back; a pre – excuse for if we came back early. It was very well planned All through this I just nodded in agreement and put in a few words of encouragement, I felt somewhat dead inside knowing what I was about to do, but it was the right thing. The only way. Alice hardly noticed my melancholy mood as she packed vigorously, throwing things into my suitcase at a speed I didn't know existed.

"Okay, Bella I think we're done here." Alice said after a short while. "I'm just going to run home to finish up there and I'm sure Edward will be here any minute to pick you up." She finished with a smile.

"Thanks, Alice. For everything." I told her sincerely. Alice was my best friend and I would miss her only second to Edward. Who knew when I would get another chance to thank her without looking too suspicious? I reached out and gave her a big hug, which she reciprocated, only remembering my fragility at the last second.

"Oh Bella it's nothing, you're family, and don't worry about this whole mess, I'm sure everything will be fine." Then she smirked at me. "Now please try not to hurt yourself while I'm gone." With that she sped off.

I sunk to my knees. Leaving them is going to be so hard, but it was what had to be done. By tomorrow at this time I would be Chris's captive. Captive? Well even though I was going willingly, it was blackmail so I decided it was fair to use the term to describe my predicament. I let out a small sob as I uncrumpled the new note from my pocket. I was still shocked that one of Chris's vampires had gotten into the Cullen residence and sneaked me another note while I was in the bathroom this morning. I guess they were even better than we thought, which is just more of a reason for me to do what I was going to do. I had cried silently to myself in the bathroom for long enough that I was sure Edward was going to come upstairs to investigate. Thankfully, he must have been preoccupied with making pancakes or the Neilans, because if he had come up he could have ruined everything. Eric, who had also been at Suede the night before, had been waiting inside the bathroom for me. He was holding two letters, one in each hand.

"So are you going to save them or not?" He had asked me sarcastically. I had nodded and he had handed me the letter in his right hand. "See you soon" he told me and then he disappeared completely. I guessed he was the teleporting one. I reread the messag, memorizing it.

_Dear Bella,_

_I trust that you have received my last letter and have made your decision. If my companion has handed you this letter, you must have told him that you wish to spare the lives of the Cullens and Neilans. To do so you must obey the following instructions. Tomorrow, you and your friends will be passing through Idaho, in a pathetic attempt to throw me off your trail. On your route, approximately 12 hours after you recieve this note, you will pass a restaurant called Jack's Bar and Grill. You must insist upon eating there. You can use the excuse that it is the only place to eat for hundreds of miles. Once you enter, order your food and sit by the stage at one of the front right tables. There will be a band playing. You must then 'accidentally' fling one of your possessions on to the stage. Quickly rush up the stairs in front of you and onto the stage on the pretense of retrieving it. Slip behind the curtain. One of my associates will be waiting there for you. He will run you over to me. Don't worry about your things, they will be teleported here and don't worry about being caught, my associate is very fast, I assure you. If all goes according to plan, no one should get hurt, as I intend to keep my promise, but, if any one is notified of the plan, I will not hesitate to annihilate the entire family. You have chosen well. I will be seeing you soon._

_Chris_

I shivered as I read the word annihilate. I could not let that happen, I would follow the instructions. I hoped with all my heart that I could pull this off. I wiped the stray tears from my face and cleaned myself up in the bathroom until my reflection showed no hint that I'd been crying. I lay down on my bed and closed my eyes.

"Tired already?" an angelic voice mocked. I opened my eyes to see Edward standing over me smiling crookedly. I decided to play along.

"No, I was just hoping to dream about a certain gorgeous guy I know." I said dreamily.

"Oh really now?" He raised his eyebrows and smiled mischievously.

"Yes, I think I should go tell Mike I'm in love with him before we go." I got up from the bed, trying to keep a straight face. A low growl emitted from Edward's chest.

"Newton!" He said incredulously, although he had caught on with the joke. Edward began to walk closer and closer to me, cornering me against the wall. "You think Newton is gorgeous?" He growled again playfully.

"Yes, he's very handsome, you know, and smart, and…" I stopped abruptly as Edward pressed his lips against mine. My heart sped up in response. Kissing him like this was heaven, and for a few minutes everything felt normal again. Even though our kisses were frustratingly chaste, I wished I could spend forever just kissing him like this.

"Now Newton can't do that, can he?" Edward asked, withdrawing himself after a while. I shook my head, flushed from all the kissing. "Are you ready to go?" Edward asked, shattering my bliss with reality.

"Yes, Alice packed for me." I told him, trying to smile. Edward grabbed the five huge suitcases full of my things and carried them all effortlessly downstairs. Carlisle was in the living room talking with Charlie. They stopped as I came down the stairs. Edward took the stuff to the car leaving me to say goodbye to my father. This was the last time I would ever see him. I seriously doubted Christopher would let me come and visit him once in a while.

"So I guess the Cullens will be taking you to the airport with them now" I nodded sadly. Charlie shook his head in disbelief. "This just seems so sudden." He sighed. "Oh well, Bells, have fun and be careful."

I threw myself at him and gave him a giant hug. Carlisle had inconspicuously disappeared, so I had no qualms about showing my true emotions.

"I will Dad, I love you, goodbye." I could not let myself cry. I had to be strong, what I was doing was right, noble even. Still, it was sad to be saying goodbye to your father forever. "Don't forget to call Rene, tell her I'll try to be in touch soon." I told him. Lie. I would never be in touch. I would never see my mother again either.

"I won't forget, love you Bells. Goodye" He said as I walked out the door. Don't cry. Don't cry, I kept telling myself. This is for the best. The Volvo, the Mercedes, and the BMW were all parked outside my house. Edward was standing outside, leaning against his Volvo, frowning.

"What's the matter?" I asked him, worried.

"You'll see." He said as he opened the passenger door for me.

"Hey, Bella!" Alice gushed.

"Yes, hello Bella. This is going to be fun, don't you think?" A light British accent quipped. I turned around to see Luke sitting next to Alice in the backseat. Luke grinned, showing bright white teeth. At that point my emotions just kind of burst out and I started laughing. I was about to leave for good and Edward was upset because Luke was riding with us. It was somewhat ironic.

"Well at least someone has some humor, Edward here would probably tear a clown to pieces if it tried to make a joke within a 10 mile radius of him." Luke said jerking his thumb toward Edward, who was now glaring at Luke through his rear view mirror.

"Shut up Luke, I don't lack a sense of humor, I just hate yours." Edward retorted.

"Oh stop it you two. Let's go already, Edward." Alice interjected cheerily. Edward pulled out of my driveway. I twisted around to look at my own house one last time. It was full of memories. Memories I just couldn't bear to think of. Goodbye, I thought silently to myself. Then I closed my eyes, leaned my head against the glass window, and let my subconscious drown out Luke and Edward's bickering.

"Bella, love, we're stopping here for gas. Do you want a drink or something?" Edward shook me awake gently. I had fallen asleep. I started to panic. How long had I been sleeping? What time is it? Did we pass the restaurant already?

"Where are we?" I asked, my voice full of alarm.

"We're still in Washington, Bella. Are you alright?" He asked me in a concerned tone. I nodded. Washington. Good. The restaurant was in Idaho.

"Yes I'm fine." I told him, still somewhat shaky. He eyed me warily.

"Okay then. Do you want to get something from the store while we're here?" I looked around and noticed that we were at a gas station in the middle of the highway. The Cullen cars were all lined up and getting their tanks refilled. Luke and Alice were waiting impatiently outside the car, obviously wanting an excuse to go into the 24 hour shop and pick out some ridiculous items for me to eat. Well, my throat was kind of dry.

"I'll get a drink." I said. In a flash Edward was at my side, opening the door for me. Luke, Alice and Jasper, who had joined Alice from the other car at some point, all greeted me.

"Hey Bella, how was your nap?" Alice asked happily. Jasper waved at me.

"Ah, sleeping beauty awakes. Do you know you actually spoke while you were sleeping? You said Edwards name quite often… What were you _dreaming_ about?" Luke raised his eyebrows suggestively. Jasper elbowed Luke in the ribs and Edward growled in response.

I felt a light blush creep onto my face. "Let's just go get my drink. Okay?" I hurried towards the entrance of the store. But, like whenever I hurried, I tripped. Cold arms wrapped around me a few inches before I hit the ground. Edward gave me a sly look.

"Thanks" I whispered. I walked towards the store and began to open the door.

"Hey Bella, What's this?" Edward asked. I turned to see him holding Chris's note in his hand.

**Author's note:** Is Edward gonna find out? If he does what will he do about it? Okay guys I hope this chapter wasn't too confusing. Basically last chapter without anyone knowing Chris sneaked Bella another note. Feel free to ask me any questions if you have. Okay I got too many complaints about seting a review limit, so I wont do it this chapter. But if I don't get any reviews then it's back to the limits. I only want reviews because I really need your feedback!! So review and tell me what you think or I assume you hate it.


	10. Gone

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight**

I want to give special thanks to my new editor, Brightmidnight23. This chapter is dedicated to Darth Viper and Grumpu84 for all of their reviews. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I really appreciate it!

**Chapter 10 – Gone**

EPOV

"Hey Bella, how was your nap?" Alice asked Bella happily. Jasper waved at her.

"Ah, sleeping beauty awakes. Do you know you actually spoke while you were sleeping? You said Edwards name so many times… What were you_ dreaming_ about?" Luke raised his eyebrows suggestively at Bella. Jasper elbowed Luke in the ribs and I growled in response, although I did slightly enjoy it when Bella was uncomfortable.

Sure enough, I saw a light blush creep onto her face. "Let's just go get my drink. Okay?" She hurried towards the entrance of the store. But, like whenever she hurried, she tripped. I saw her hurtling to the ground and instantly caught her warm body in my arms just a few inches from the concrete. I gave her a sly look. She was just too adorable when she blushed or tripped.

"Thanks" Bella whispered. She walked towards the store and began to open the door. I was about to follow when I noticed that when Bella had stumbled, something had fallen out of her pocket, a piece of crumpled paper.

"Hey Bella, What's this?" I asked, holding it up. Bella looked like a deer caught in the headlights. I don't know why but she just froze, completely horrified.

"Oh, are you overprotective of Bella's garbage now, too, Edward?" Luke interrupted and snatched the small crinkled paper from my hand. I growled menacingly. Luke had been bothering me the entire trip. "Because you know, we could set up a ninja guard or something in case the evil recycling men come and try to take her old soda cans away…"

"Oh, that's nothing, Edward. Just and old receipt that I left in my jeans." Bella told me, trying to sound convincing. Luke handed her the folded scrap and Bella stuffed it gratefully into her pocket and sighed. Now I was very curious as to what it was, possibly something embarrassing.

"Just a receipt?" I asked staring deep into her eyes. I knew my eyes were smoldering. She would tell me what it was if I dazzled her. Bella began to stutter as her heart rate increased dramatically. Then for a second she looked frightened.

"Edward! Stop being an idiot. Can't a girl get some privacy?" Alice nudged me hard in my side. By that time Bella had recovered from her dazed state and was glaring at me.

"Edward, how dare you dazzle me to get answers!" She demanded in a slightly raspy voice. Bella was absolutely furious and … scared? She was shaking slightly and I knew immediately that I had to calm her down; after all she was under an immense amount of stress with this whole ordeal, I certainly didn't need to add to it.

"I was just curious. I'm sorry, love." I breathed into her face. I gave her one of her favorite crooked smiles and stroked her cheek tenderly. I could always figure out what the paper was later. Bella relaxed after a moment and sighed. She shook her head and muttered something darkly about irresistible vampire abilities.

"Let's just go get my drink," she said unsteadily.

"Of course." I told her asI took her hand and led her into the store.

The store was filled to the brim with human food and Jasper had to practically restrain Alice from buying everything she saw. Luke, too, was very interested in the snacks and saw it fit to ask Bella 'What does this taste like?' or 'Is this any good?' every few seconds, pointing at various items on the shelves. He was extremely irritating. After a few minutes Bella brought only a coke to the counter.

"Are you sure you don't want anything else? You might get hungry, it's a long drive." I asked her.

"No, I'm sure," She said, a little distracted. I bought the soda and held the door open for her to leave the store. I put my arm around her waist and led her through the small parking lot. She didn't even notice when we arrived at the car. In fact, she barely noticed anything around her. She was acting very strange, like she was exceedingly worried.

"Are you okay Bella?" I was concerned about her. She seemed even more fragile lately, if possible. Maybe the whole England thing was just too much for her. Bella spun around and looked into my eyes.

"You know that I love you Edward?" She said, ignoring my question.

"I love you too, Bella." I told her. I was somewhat confused, she was worrying me even more by the second.

"But you know? You know you mean everything to me right?" She asked intensely.

"Yes, I know. And you mean everything to me, Bella." I replied sincerely.

"Good." She nodded, satisfied.

"Bella, please tell me. Is everything okay?" I needed to know what she was thinking so badly, that it hurt. Why was she so worried? Did she think Chris would get her? Was she just nervous about leaving her life behind? And why did she ask if I knew that she loved me? Of course she loved me. She probably loved me as much as I loved her, if that was even possible.

"Yes, everything's okay now." She said quietly with a weary smile.

She stepped into the car and we drove off with the BMW and Mercedes in tow. Bella made sure that she stayed awake for the rest of the ride. She put noticeable effort into keeping her eyes wide opened and occasionally would chat with Alice, Luke, or me whenever her eyelids started to droop. It was obviously important to her that she wouldn't fall asleep again, so I only suggested she rest a few times before giving up. The trip was relatively uneventful, save for Luke's attempt to pick up several dangerous hitchhikers from the highway, which he found hilarious. We reached Idaho shortly. After a few hours, Bella's stomach grumbled loudly. Luke went into hysterics and Alice slapped him. I realized Bella hadn't eaten in a long time.

"Bella, love, you need to eat something." I insisted. She nodded.

"We can stop somewhere soon." She said. Bella reached into the front compartment and took out a map of Idaho. She scanned the map and some of the advertisements on the back. Bella looked up abruptly "How about Jack's Bar and Grill?" She suggested as it appeared in the distance. I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Bella always hated going anywhere with a bar. She denounced them as sleazy and too loud.

"It's the only place to eat for hundreds of miles." She explained with a sigh. I nodded and Alice called the others to tell them we were stopping.

Jack's Bar and Grill was kind of sleazy and was way too loud. There was some sort of band playing terrible music. When we walked in I immediately wrapped my arm around Bella's waist. I did not like what anyone in the bar was thinking about us. My entire family followed us inside warily, except for Luke, Alice and Emmett, who actually looked thrilled to be here.

"Just order up front here and then take a seat and we'll serve ya." A too friendly blond woman said.

Bella ordered the grilled chicken and then insisted that we sit at one of the front, right tables by the stage. I didn't understand why she wanted to sit there; it was right by the stairs to the stage and the speakers, from which one of the band members kept babbling about karoke night or something. I looked around at my family and the Neilans, just to make sure everyone was doing okay. I couldn't help but feel that this whole thing was my fault. Rosalie was scolding Emmett for charming an 'ignorant human girl,' to which I growled menacingly in reply. Alice and Jasper were gazing at each other lovingly, obviously happy to be together after all the time in separate vehicles. Esme was talking to Diane and Sara animatedly, and Carlisle and John were in deep discussion. They all seemed to be fine, but obviously the ordeal was affecting Bella differently. I looked at my angel, who was fidgeting nervously in her seat. She stood up to stretch and take her sweater off. Then, in a rather exuberant movement her sweater was flung out to the center of stage.

"Bella, I'll - " I began.

"No Edward, I'll get it." She said hurriedly. Before I could interject Bella had raced up the few stairs onto the stage, surprisingly without tripping. She picked up her sweater.

"Ahh we've got a volunteer! What's your name sweetheart?" A man who seemed to be some sort of V.J. asked Bella.

For the second time today, Bella froze. She was obviously stunned, they thought she was volunteering for something. I wanted to rush onto the stage and save her but a second later she spoke.

"B-Bella Swan." She stuttered. She looked around the room panicked and then her eyes fell on me and her expression turned to determination and resolve.

"So Bella, what will you be singing for us, tonight?" He asked her eagerly.

Bella hesitated for a moment."'I will always love you' by Whitney Houston." She told him.

The man nodded and the band started to play the music. My family and I stared up at her in shock. Then, Bella began to do the most amazing thing. She began to sing.

_If I  
Should stay  
I would only be in your way  
So I'll go  
But I know  
I'll think of you every step of  
the way _

Bella's voice was angelic, I never knew she could sing like this. I was a little confused though at her choice of song. This song meant goodbye if I wasn't mistaken. That she was leaving me for my own good, but that she would miss me.

_And I...  
Will always  
Love you, oohh  
Will always  
Love you  
You  
My darling you  
Mmm-mm _

Bella sang the song just as well as Whitney herself, she was so full of passion, like she was willing me to understand.

_Bittersweet  
Memories  
That is all I'm taking with me  
So good-bye  
Please don't cry  
We both know I'm not what you  
You need_

I hoped that Bella didn't think that I didn't need her. I needed her with every fiber of my being. It's just a song, I reminded myself. Bella just said the first song she could think of, she wants me to know that our love is eternal. 

_And I...  
Will always love you  
I...  
Will always love you  
You, ooh _

Bella eyes locked with mine. Her expression was so serious that it shook me.

_I hope  
life treats you kind  
And I hope  
you have all you've dreamed of  
And I wish you joy  
and happiness  
But above all this  
I wish you love _

At the last part she smiled wearily, as if assuring me that she wanted me to be happy. What did this mean? What was going on? Bella obviously wanted to convey the message that I should move on but why? How? And did she really think I could love anyone other than her? Impossible._  
_  
_And I...  
Will always love you  
I...  
Will always love you  
I, I will always love  
You...  
You  
Darling I love you  
I'll always  
I'll always  
Love  
You…_

The room boomed with applause, Bella had a magnificent voice. How could I have not known this about her until now? I watched as my angel handed the man the microphone and whispered so only vampires could hear, "I'll always love you." With those last words, Bella disappeared behind the red curtain.

For a second I was still with shock and confusion. Where did Bella go?Then, it all clicked inside my head, like pieces of a puzzle fitting together. Chris. Jack's Bar and Grill. The song. It all made sense. Oh my G-d, Bella was going to sacrifice herself for me and my family's welfare. She really was trying to give me a message. Oh my G-d.

"No!" I yelled. I ran onto the stage, barely keeping human speed. I felt my family following behind me. I slid behind the red curtain, half expecting to see Bella jump out and say 'surprise', but the room was completely empty.

"No! No! No!" I yelled again. My family was panicking, too.

"Did you see anything, Alice?" Carlisle asked Alice quietly.

"No… I can't. I can't see anything with her, there's a block." She said, her voice barely above a whisper. If she were human she would have been crying.

I ran out the backstage door, forgoing human pretenses and sniffed the air for her scent. I caught a faint whiff and followed it, but it only seemed to fade more and more. I ran hundreds of miles at top speed, but it was useless. Bella was gone. My family caught up with me a few minutes later. I was in the middle of some field.

"She's gone." I said simply. "She's gone." I sank to my knees and erupted into dry sobs.

**Author's note:** So I hope you guys like it, even though I know some of you were rooting for Edward to find out and interfere. What's gonna happen next? Will Bella be ok? Will Edward find her? I'm not gonna set any review limits because I got such a great response last chapter, but if I don't get any comments on this one then I'll have to start setting them again. Remember, reviews aren't food for my ego, it's my inspiration and motivation to continue. I need your feedback, to let me know how I'm doing and if I should continue. Questions, comments, anonymous reviews and constructive criticism are all welcome. Thanks a lot.


	11. Mansion

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Twilight

Guys I can not even express how sorry I am that I haven't updated in so long. I have some excuses, but really there is no excuse for not updating for such a long time. Well I haven't forgotten about the story or about my wonderful reviewers. So here it is. The long awaited Chapter 11 dedicated to : Sam91 and TwilightObsessed for all of their many beautiful reviews. Thanks for the feedback!

**Chapter 11 – Mansion **

Bella's POV

The room boomed with applause. I might've been flattered if I wasn't dreading the very thing I was about to do. I handed the microphone back to the man and whispered so only vampires could hear "I will always love you." With those last words to Edward, I slipped behind the red curtain. One of Christopher's vampires from the other night was waiting there for me.

"Hi um, I'm Cameron. We have to go." He said somewhat hesitantly.

I nodded solemnly and walked behind him so I could climb on his back. He just shook his head and lifted me against his chest, using one hand to support my back and the other to support my head. Why is he holding me like this? I thought. Even when Edward runs – At the thought of Edward I felt myself dissolve into tears. I clamped my eyes shut as instinct when we began to run. This is the right thing to do, I repeated to myself. But I'm leaving Edward, my heart protested. How can this be the right thing if I'm leaving Edward? I began to cry even harder, soaking Cameron's shirt.

"Shh, It'll be ok." He tried to sooth.

"Okay? It's never going to be ok!" I sobbed, muffled by his shirt.

"Then why are you doing this?" He asked quietly.

"Because he'll die!" I practically screamed into his chest. "Because If I don't do this, Christopher will kill Edward and his entire family."

"You really do love him don't you?" Cameron asked with slight wonder.

I nodded, completely worn out and still tearing. "With all of my heart."

Cameron paused for a minute. "You can open your eyes, you know."

I shook my head. "I get sick when I run."

"Well, this isn't exactly normal running. I think you'll be alright." He said with what I'm sure was a knowing half-smile.

I opened my eyes and gasped. This certainly wasn't regular running. It was more like flying actually. Everything around me seemed frozen in time as we sped through hundreds of miles in split seconds. Even drops of rain seemed to be still in midair compared to the speed we were going.

"Superspeed." Cameron offered. "We're going 20 to 30 times faster than the average vampire." So that's what Christopher was referring to when he said his companion was 'very fast.' Edward had no chance of catching up. More tears leaked from my eyes. Of course Edward couldn't catch up for the plan to work, even though a small part of me still wished he would. I tried to crane my neck to take in my full surroundings, but Cameron stopped me with his hand.

"You have to keep your body very close to mine or the speed will tear you apart." He said with a small smile. "That's why I'm holding you like this. But feel free to keep your eyes open for the view."

He looked off into the distance and seemed to be calculating the direction. I took the opportunity to actually look at Cameron for the first time. He had short, dark brown hair, honey colored eyes, and overall very good looks. His body felt hard and chiseled like Edward's, but the similarities only made my ache for Edward stronger. I could literally feel the pain contracting inside me. My muscles clenched with the acrid feeling. Cameron must have noticed.

"Um, Bella. I know I haven't known you for very long but you really should calm down. You're only human and your body's too fragile for this kind of experience. You have to believe that it's going to be ok. Just relax. Try to think about something else for a while." He told me.

I swallowed and tried to distract myself from the giant hole that was forming in my chest.

"So, um, wher-re are we uh going anyway?" I asked shakily.

Cameron smiled at me. "We're going to the mansion. You'll like it, it really is like paradise. See, it's on its own private island and we all live in this massive structure. There are so many great people. And there's everything you could ever want, swimming pools, courts for every sport, movie theaters… The weather's great too. It's always sunny but there's a beautiful breeze from the east…" he sighed. "Paradise."

I could tell he was trying to distract me and get me to look forward to living there, but no place could be paradise for me unless Edward was there with me. I was also concerned with being a human on an island full of vampires.

"Won't it b-be complicated with um, me being hu- human and everything…" I trailed off questioningly.

"Everyone on the island is vegetarian." He winked at me. "You have to be to join the coven. Besides Chris would never let anything bad happen to you. He wants to keep you safe and um comfortable."

I nodded. Comfortable? In a foreign island without the love of my life? The idea was laughable, but I decided not to dwell on it. "So when will we arrive at this place?" I managed to ask without shaking.

"Very soon. Just one last ocean to cross" he said with a smile. I thought he was joking until I glanced down and realized we were literally running over water. I let out another small gasp of surprise.

Cameron just laughed. "Hahaha I forgot how shocking it is at first to be going so fast."

I nodded again, but the feeling of hopelessness was starting to seep into me. I was oceans away from Edward. I would never see him again.

"So uh, how did you get involved with a coven of vampires in the first place?" He asked me after a short while. I could tell he wanted to keep me talking so I wouldn't think about the situation. It was a kind of sweet attempt, so I decided to give it a try.

"Well I - I moved to Washington to live with my father after my mom got remarried. I um didn't really like it at first. It was such a tiny, green town and it rained all the time. It was a huge adjustment from Arizona." I laughed somewhat bitterly to myself. "Funny how I used to hate the rain, and now I practically worship it… Not that I don't enjoy the sun on the weekends. The way you sparkle is just… incredible." I couldn't help but conjure up the memory of the first time Edward had shown himself to me in the meadow. There weren't even words to express how beautiful he was in the sun.

I felt my voice start to waver but I continued anyway. "Anyway the Cullens were at my new school. No one- Nobody ever spoke to them. They were too different, too beautiful for everyone else." I chuckled softly. "I actually thought Edward hated me in the beginning. Well he did hate me. He couldn't read my mind. It was like I was his personal devil. See, I tempted him more than anyone else in the world. But I didn't know that at the time. I just always caught him glaring at me and staying as far away as possible." I frowned at the memory.

"But then he well. He - he saved my life. More than once actually. I half guessed, half received the knowledge of his secret and…"

"And what?" Cameron asked seriously when I hesitated.

"And I didn't care. I think he could have been the devil himself at that point and it wouldn't have mattered. I was in love with him. Completely and irrevocably. He kept warning me to stay away, but neither one of us could." My eyes started to water, but I continued. "So that was it. There were a lot of obstacles in the way, but everything turned out ok. The lion and the lamb, as Edward likes to say."

"That's one crazy lamb." Cameron replied.

"And one masochistic lion." I added in a whisper. He nodded.

"And what about the rest of the Cullens?" He probed.

"They're - they're just great. I love all of them. Alice is my best friend. All of them are like family."

Cameron shook his head in disbelief. "I still can't wrap my head around it. You're in love with a vampire. You feel most comfortable with a family of creatures who could kill you in a second. And yet you love them so much… Amazing." He said

I shrugged sadly. "It's not like it matters now anyway."

Cameron nodded and looked away. It wasn't until then that I realized we were walking on land at a normal pace. I twisted around in Cameron's hold. Before us lay the most beautiful and massive building I had ever seen. There were sprawling acres of gorgeous palm trees and pristine beaches. I didn't care at all. I was physically and mentally exhausted and this place was as much a prison for me as iron bars and a cell. I saw a handful of gorgeous sparkling vampires walking about the island before Cameron sped us down a stone path into what seemed to be a private lobby. He kept me in his arms.

"Um Cameron you know you can put me down." I said, feeling pathetic being carried around like a fragile doll.

Cameron looked down at me doubtfully. "Okay, but be careful. Your body could go into shock, and your legs probably won't function normally. He set me down gently. Embarrassingly enough I stumbled forward. I could feel numbness and pain in different parts all over my body. Cameron caught me and steadied me.

"Thank you Cameron." I said. "I mean um for everything – I mean well you've been really nice to me the entire time and you didn't really have to-"

"Don't mention it" He interrupted. "Call me Cam by the way. And if you need anything just let me know" He told me in quickly but in a genuine tone. With that he turned me around to see I was face to face with Christopher.

"Hello Bella. Cam. How was the trip was everything alright?" He asked in his silky arrogant voice.

"The trip was fine Chris." Cam answered in a dignified fashion. Then he whispered something too fast for me to hear and Christopher nodded.

"Bella how are you feeling? Welcome to the mansion. I'm sure you will like it here. You have made an excellent decision to come peacefully, you know, it really is much easier this way. No one has to get hurt." Christopher smiled. I grimaced but didn't say a word in reply.

"Come with me and I will show you your rooms." Christopher gestured. I looked anxiously around to see that Cam had disappeared. I followed Christopher up a grand staircase. This section of the mansion seemed to be empty in comparison to the rest of the sprawling area which seemed to be teeming with curious vampires. Finally we came to a halt before a pair of beautiful French doors.

"Bella this is my private section of the mansion. No one will bother you here. This," He motioned towards the doors in front of us "is your bedroom. You have your own bathroom on your left. We have a chef and a fully stocked kitchen to the right, and the living rooms are down the hall. Of course, feel free to explore the entire mansion and all the grounds. We have wonderful accommodations, but if you need anything don't hesitate to ask." He paused and then opened the doors to my room. It was absolutely stunning but I couldn't have cared less.

"Your things have already been unpacked." He looked at me "I trust these rooms are up to standard. If you need _anything_, I promise we'll do everything we can to accommodate you." Then he laughed. "We'll treat you even better than the Cullens did." He spat the name as if the very sound of it offended him.

I felt the rage boiling within me. This guy really was a bastard. Here he was acting like it was some sort of game when he had just torn apart my life. I clenched my jaw and bit down on the inside of my cheeks to keep from talking.

"Bella you should know that this will actually be good for you. I promise. They could never give you what I'll give you. I'll make you a queen amongst our world. I'll make every one of your wildest dreams come true. Soon you will forget that they ever existed. After all, human memories do fade very quickly." I bit down on my cheek a little harder. Christopher gauged my expression of hatred.

"What's a matter my dear? Do you miss those filthy Cullens of yours? Do you miss that unworthy Edward?" He questioned viciously.

"Stop it!" I finally screamed. "How dare you even speak their names to me you son of a bitch? I hate you! You separate me from the people I love and then mock them to my face, you piece of- of garbage! You'll never amount to one twentieth of Edward. I don't want anything from you. I love the Cullens. The only reason I'm here is to protect them from the likes of you!" I seethed with pure fury, but I could feel the wet tracks on my face and knew I was crying as well.

For a second Christopher's eyes blazed with anger. But then, looking like he was restraining himself he said calmly "Bella, please don't cry. I should be more sensitive of the situation. Of course your love for that family – for Edward is understandable but you were misled. You don't know what kind of terrible and disloyal things Edward has done in his past. I was his best friend and he betrayed me, Bella." He spoke in angry, but measured tones, as if he was focusing all his control on refraining from lashing out like he desired.

"I don't believe you Christopher." I replied scathingly. "And I was not misled. I love him and you will never be able to change that. Plus from what it sounds like you were going to change some unwilling girl and had Edward not-"

"Do not speak to me about Allison!" He yelled. "You do not know anything about what happened. Not a thing. Edward betrayed me! He was tactless and foolish. He lost me the love of my life because of his ignorant, disloyal actions. Do you know what he did? He let her watch him hunt! She didn't believe that we were indeed vampires and so to prove our monstrosity he showed her the very moment when we let all our hideous inhibitions loose. She saw him tear flesh and drink blood like an animal and she ran away forever. Who wouldn't? I loved her more than life itself yet the last time I saw her she shrunk away in fear from me and told me to stay away from her for the rest of her life. I never even got a chance to explain, to put it delicately. Edward – Edward ruined everything for me. And that is why you are here right now."

So that's what Edward had done. He had let this girl Allison watch him hunt and she ran away forever. Well that explained why Edward was so sensitive when I asked him if I could watch him hunt. But did he really think I would runaway like Allison did? Surely even if I had seen Edward hunt I would still love him. Christopher was still wrong in my opinion.

"Well maybe that was indelicate of him, but you were going to change her without her knowledge! Edward believes that vampires have no souls, he thought you were going to damn her eternally without even warning her in advance. And frankly if a little bit of hunting sent her running then she probably wasn't changing material anyway. I would still love Edward even if I saw him drink blood."

For a moment Christopher paused and opened his mouth to snarl a reply but then he began to laugh. He shook his head in disbelief. "You really are incredible Bella. Vampirism really doesn't bother you at all. You don't have any sense of self-preservation do you? Look at you sticking up for Edward. You don't understand the situation at all and yet you still defend him – you love a monster. Unbelievable. That whole event doesn't matter now anyway. It's too late, it's in the past, but you Bella, you are the present. You will make a perfect wife for me Bella. You're not scared of hunting, or of becoming one of us are you Bella?" He smiled at me.

Wife? Was he insane? The guy flitted from screaming to laughter in seconds and now he thinks I'll be his vampire wife? Lunatic. I could almost sympathize with his situation too if not for the whole kidnapping revenge plot and everything.

"No," He continued walking towards me to the bed " No, you're not afraid of vampires or the change Bella. That of course is why I had to have you. You will be perfect for me. The human who wasn't afraid. That is why I am going to change you Bella. And since you form a strong bond with the one who changes you, and you seem to be rather attached to your Edward, I mind as well do it now." He finished, his mouth inches from the base of my neck.

"Yes Bella, you want to be changed don't you? And right now in all your feistiness you are utterly irresistable, so brave and fearless. I'm going to change you now Bella." Christopher murmured.

Oh my G-d.

**Author's note:** Well guys how was it? Did you understand everything? What's going to happen next? Will Chris change Bella or will some one save Bella in time? Okay so I won't set any review limits because I really got such an amazing response last chapter. But if I don't get any responses then I'm going to have to start setting limits again. Remember reviews are not just food for my ego they are my motivation and inspiration to continue. The more reviews the quicker I update, but I really appreciate reviews which contain some insight about what you think of my story. Anonymous reviews, questions, comments, and constructive criticism are all welcome! Again I'm so so so sorry for not updating in a long time but it's the Summer now so more free time more updates!!!

Also, I am in need of an editor because I can not reach my past one. Kindly pm me or leave a review if you are interested.

Thanks so much for reading guys!


	12. Decisions

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight**

**Hey guys. Sorry I didn't update sooner, there are no excuses. This chapter is dedicated to javajunkie101 and Masochistic lion lover, thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews. And thanks so much to all the readers and reviewers! And thank you to my editor, Brightmidnight23! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 12 – Decisions **

EPOV

"Yes Bella, you want to be changed don't you? And right now in all your feistiness you are utterly irresistible, so brave and fearless. I'm going to change you now Bella." Christopher murmured.

His mouth was centimeters from the vain in her neck. Bella looked terrified.

Oh my G-d.

The vision had finally come through. Alice had been trying her hardest for hours to see something, anything about Bella's fate.

Christopher was going to change her.

Oh my G-d.

Rage flooded my senses. "NOOOOOOOO!" I yelled with more fury than I'd ever felt before.

Ten sets of golden eyes looked up at me abruptly.

"What is it? What did you see?" Carlyle asked, directing the question at Alice. Jasper was rubbing Alice's shoulders comfortingly. But he was grimacing as well. I could tell he felt my pain. Alice's eyes were wide with shock and horror.

"He – He's going to change her. Now." Her voice was a hoarse whisper. Jasper was sending tidal waves of calm towards everyone, but it had no effect on me. My feelings were too strong to be mitigated.

A million different thoughts flew through my mind at once. It's all my fault. He's taking her soul. He'll hurt her. He won't be able to stop. He'll kill her. NOOOO! NO! NO! NO! She won't die. She can't die. She can't become a vampire either! Especially not by force. Not by him! It was the first time I realized that I could in some faraway part of my mind envision myself changing Bella. But the realization had come far too late.

"No. This can't- This can not be happening." I was pacing back and forth, a blur to human eyes. "So soon." I mourned. Why is he changing her so soon? Is he prepared? The worst thing imaginable was that she would die. I had never felt so entirely helpless in my life. Christopher was going to change my love forever and I was completely powerless to stop him. I did not even know where they were. Their trail had just disappeared, faded into nothingness within mere seconds.

"Edward, calm down." Emmett put his hand on my shoulder.

"Calm down? CALM DOWN! He's going to change her Emmett! Change her! She could DIE! And there's absolutely nothing I can do." I brushed his hand off and went back to pacing.

"Exactly Edward, there's nothing you can do." This time it was Esme's voice trying to mollify me.

I was frightening my family, making the situation even worse. Everyone was upset. Even Luke had stopped joking. But I couldn't help acting this way. I groaned. Why? Why did we have to go to that club that night. He would've found me either way, but maybe Bella would still be in Forks. Safe. All I wanted was to keep her safe. And with me. Now both of those things were ruined.

Maybe I should just end it. Maybe I should just go to the Volturi, I thought. I had never felt such grief and anguish in my life. My life was meaningless without her, a night sky void of even one flicker of light. I was furious. I hated myself. And I was scared. I was so scared about the future. Would I never see Bella again? Changed or not I needed to believe that I would see my angel once again. I needed to be assured that I would hold her in my arms once more. But the odds were impossible. The odds… were always against Bella and me, it seemed. Was there any hope?

And she had asked me to move on! The idea was ludicrous. I could never forget Bella. I could never move on. I could never love someone else. Ridiculous. No one compared to my love. Her mind, her smile, her stubbornness, her selflessness… Her going with Christopher was the ultimate act of selflessness, yet she was still not protecting me from harm. She never managed to realize that I could not live without her.

What was life without her? Death was easier, less painful.

I determined right then that I would find Bella… or die trying.

Because either, there was some tiny speck of hope that I would find her, that I could be with her again… or there was no hope, in which case I would prefer death... Bella was all that mattered to me. If she was truly and positively gone from me forever… then death would be a relief.

BPOV

"Yes Bella, you want to be changed don't you? And right now in all your feistiness you are utterly irresistible, so brave and fearless. I'm going to change you now Bella." Christopher murmured.

He was so close that I could feel his cool breath against my skin. "Mmm… delicious" he whispered, inhaling the scent of my blood.

"Christopher! No! please! Wait!" I gasped. He didn't to seem to hear me. "Christopher STOP!" I screamed. He didn't respond. Action… I had to take action… I had to do something to prevent this. But what amount of pain could I possibly inflict on a vampire… I knew the answer. None. But I had to catch his attention somehow. I grabbed the back of his hair and yanked. Although this didn't seem to cause him the slightest discomfort he glanced at me.

"Christopher, Please! Don't do this!" I begged.

He narrowed his eyes. "But why, Bella? I am going to change you inevitably. You will be mine forever, Bella. This is no temporary affair." I opened my mouth to protest but he placed his hand over my lips. "Bella. Do not fight this."

I released a series of muffled objections. "Christopher it won't change anything! I will never love you whether you change me or not!"

His voice grew ominously louder. "Let me assure you Bella, I am going to change you, and we will live happily for eternity. There is absolutely _nothing_ you can do to change that." He commanded firmly. As if to confirm the matter he removed his hand and began to kiss the nape of my neck. He was absolutely delusional. He truly believed that I would grow to love him and accept him. So how was I ever going to convince him otherwise? How was I ever going to convince him not to change me? I decided to change tactics.

"Christopher! Christopher... Fine." I sighed. He paused and looked at me again.

"Fine?" He raised his eyebrows in question.

"Yes, fine." I tried to look resigned. Christopher grinned widely. He returned to kissing my neck. I tried to slither from his grasp, unsuccessfully.

"Fine, I understand you are going to change me…" I hesitated, choosing my words carefully. "But now is… not the time." His smile dissolved.

"And why not?" He asked with a mixture of suspicion and amusement glinting in his eyes.

"Christopher you could kill me. You're not ready. I'm not ready."

"Bella I would never hurt you." I almost snorted at the irony of the statement, but held back. "I have refrained from human blood for centuries… I am sure I will not kill you. I-"

"Are you sure?" I interrupted. "Edwa – Edward also had been a vegetarian for years. But He still almost killed me because of the intense smell of my blood." I winced. It was excruciating recounting memories of my angel and I.

"Well I am much more disciplined than Edward." He growled, His eyes darkening at the name. But I could see the doubt snaking its way in to his voice.

"It's not about discipline. My blood happens to be more tempting than other humans'. When's the last time you hunted anyways?" I drilled. "And what about me? Are you going to let me suffer immense pain for three days without even considering my needs? Have you thought through what it will be like? What about something for the pain? And the other vampires around who will smell my blood?" I interrogated, on a roll.

He seemed to be thinking these questions through. He withdrew a few inches from my body.

"You only have one chance with my life. If even one thing goes wrong, I would be gone forever. And where does that leave you?" I finished.

The last question seemed to hit home. He observed me, head cocked to one side, contemplating my words. I thought that perhaps I had outwitted him.

"Bella…" He said, searching my face for answers, "Why are you trying to postpone this? Maybe I am rushing into things, but… this will happen, one way or another. So why delay it?" He said quietly.

I didn't truly know the answer myself. All I knew was that I had to put it off as long as I could. Maybe I was the trying to delude myself. Did I really think I would be able to stop a vampire, nonetheless a vampire who was the leader of a gigantic coven, from overpowering one weak human girl? What was the point? He could literally kill me instantaneously if he chose. I was lucky to even be alive at this point. Or was I? Lucky was not exactly a term I would use liberally to describe myself in this situation.

Was I lucky to live forever without Edward? Death was the less painful option… But some part of me refused to give up. Some small part of me refused to end it all with a quick leap from a window or slash of my wrist. Because deep down there was still some tiny glimmer of hope flickering inside of me. The tiniest little flame that believed I would see Edward again someday. And however ridiculous that speck of hope might've been, it was compelling me to stay alive. What was Edward doing right now? I wondered fleetingly. Was he mourning? Trying to find me? Moving on with his life like I asked?

I felt a jolt of ache just thinking about the options. It hurt me immensely to think of him in grief. No, I did not want him in anguish over anything, especially something he could not prevent. He probably blamed himself entirely, I realized with another twinge. I did not want him trying to find me either. And although a part of me wanted nothing more than for him to try to rescue me from this place, it was a pointless attempt. The odds were simply impossible. And the entire purpose of me coming here peacefully was so that he could live, unharmed. But if I was honest to myself, I would have to admit that the thought of him moving on… like I had asked him to do… invoked another gut wrenching twist of pain.

To think of him actually forgetting me, to imagine him laughing and rejoicing without me, to picture him in another woman's arms was… unbearable. But I had told him to move on and it was only the selfish part of me now that even begrudged him one bit. I wanted him to go on with his life. I did not want my face to haunt his forever, like his would surely do to mine for eternity. I wanted him to find love again.

'No you don't!' a voice inside my head objected. 'You want the impossible. You want to be with him yourself,' it said. 'Otherwise what's the purpose of living? If you can even call it a life… It's more like an existence, devoid of any joy, love, or meaning whatsoever.'

I decided right then that I the voice was right. I would return to Edward… or die trying.

Because either, the flicker of hope inside me was justified, and there was some diminutive chance that I could be with him again… or there was no hope, in which case I would prefer death. Edward was all that mattered to me. If he was truly and positively gone from me forever… then death would be a relief.

"Bella why delay it?" Christopher's whisper broke me out of my reverie. But what he didn't realize was that his words held double meaning for me. Why delay it? If I was going to put everything I had into somehow escaping this fate… then why not start right now. I needed to devise a plan.

"I- I don't know Christopher…" I replied, still in a trance of thought.

"Chris." He said. "Bella, please call me Chris."

I had a sudden urge to be defiant, but something told me to be agreeable. "You'll catch more flies with honey than vinegar." The old proverb popped into my head. It may not have applied perfectly, but the concept was true enough. I had to be very smart about everything I said and did from now on. I had to keep in mind my goal. So which path gave me the best chance of seeing Edward again?

"Okay… Chris." I acquiesced. I would have to try honey, for now at least.

"To be honest, I hadn't planned on changing you immediately. I got, well, carried away, I believe. I apologize if I frightened you, Bella. It's just that, you really are quite incredible. I want to be with you for eternity. I will give you everything, Bella. I will love you more than you believe possible, and you will love me in return… I have been waiting for you Bella. Ever since the incident with Allison I have been obsessed with revenge, but even more so with filling the gaping hole she left in my soul. You will mend my heart. You are the one I need."

Again, I empathized with his situation, but could not be sympathetic. If he knew the results of torn apart love, then why did he so easily inflict them upon me? I was way too familiar with that internal abyss. The idea of being with anyone but my angel, forever, was repulsive.

"I am eager to change you Bella. I see that you may be currently attached to… others… but soon your human memories will become nothing but a distant dream. You will forget easily. You will have no reason for regret… But perhaps it would be wise to postpone this a little while longer. I would like to make proper arrangements. I will do this right. Like you said… I only have one chance with your life… and I could not bear to lose you."

I nodded, unsure about what I needed to do to proceed with my plan, but grateful for more time to decide. Chris moved closer to me once again. He leaned forward and kissed my cheek.

"Settle yourself in, Bella." He glanced around the bedroom quickly. "I hope you won't be staying in a guestroom for long… well, my rooms are just around the corner… Explore the facilities and the grounds if you please… this is your home now Bella. No one will deny you any request." He got up and stood by the doors. "I will be seeing you soon, Bella." Within a second he sped off.

G-d, vampires were fast. How I wished that I, too, was fast, beautiful, graceful, and strong. I wished that I was strong enough to stop being the victim for once in my life. I wished that I was strong enough to escape… But maybe that was the key.

Maybe… Maybe I had to become a vampire to escape…

**Author's note:** Ooooh is Bella going to become a vampire after all? \Will Edward and Bella find ever find each other? okay so I hope you liked it. Please, if you liked it, have any questions, comments, constructive criticism, or anything else to say, please review!!! It's not food for my ego, it helps motivate me to write more chapters and tells me what my audience is thinking. I go crazy wondering what people think of my story... I always think that they probably didn't like it enough if they didn't review... seriously. Anyway, no ultimatums, just please give me some feedback. Thanks so much for reading!!!!


	13. Strength revised

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight…

This chapter is dedicated to every single wonderful reviewer. This is for you guys and I'm so sorry for the delay. Also, sorry about the confusion, I just needed to add a little cliffhanger to this chapter, so I released it again.

**Chapter 13 – Strength**

Bella's POV

_G-d, vampires were fast. How I wished that I, too, was fast, beautiful, graceful, and strong. I wished that I was strong enough to stop being the victim for once in my life. I wished that I was strong enough to escape… But maybe that was the key._

_Maybe… Maybe I had to become a vampire to escape…_

As much as I was adverse to the idea of anyone besides Edward changing me, I might have to make some sacrifices if I was going to succeed. So even though I wanted Edward's lips to be the last on my human skin, as much as I wanted only Edward's venom to fill me and posses me, perhaps I would have to be changed by another to be near Edward at all.

But this was just speculation. What I needed was information. I needed to find out where we actually were. What continent? What ocean surrounded us? I needed to become familiar with my environment. How did the other vampires come and go from the island? Was there some sort of transportation? How did they communicate with the outside world? I needed to know all about the change as well. How long would it take for me to recover? How much time will I need to learn control and resistance? Would I still be the same, in essence? Well I was certainly not going to find these answers from this bedroom. So, as exhausted as I was I decided to take Chris's advice… and explore.

The mansion really was beautiful. Every inch had been planned and executed to perfection and under different circumstances, I was sure I would have appreciated it. I turned down the hall and descended down the grand staircase into a marble lobby. No one was around this area and I wondered if the other vampires had been barred from Christopher's quarters on my account. I exited the building from a pair of huge, steel, double doors and began walking down the stone path before me.

Soon I could see that the grounds truly were tremendous. In the distance I could make out what I believed to be courts of some type, although they were six to seven times larger than the standard sizes. I imagined that if vampires were to play a sport like tennis, they would need gigantic courts to make the game exciting. With a hard sigh, I recalled the long distances between the bases when the Cullens played baseball… In the other direction there was a huge glistening expanse of tropical water. But even the sparkling blue ocean and pristine white sand seemed dull in contrast to the glittering, beautiful creatures that lounged around them. In the sun, the vampires were merely diamond blurs sprawled across the beach. The pathway I was walking on forked into six different trails. I chose the one that seemed to lead to a shady grove of palm trees and a lane of cement flooring that indicated a pool.

"Bella?" someone called from beside me. I turned around and saw Cameron.

"Oh. Hi, Cam." I was glad to see a familiar face. Next to Cameron was a pretty, redheaded vampire, who wore a bandana and a friendly, tentative smile. "Hi, I'm Leigh, a friend of Cameron's." I smiled back.

"Looking for something in particular?" Cam asked.

"No, I just figured if I'm going to live here I should try to get the lay of the land. And speaking of land, you never did tell me where exactly we are." I said smoothly. Hopefully, no one would suspect the human of subterfuge, because I would have to ask a lot of questions over the next few days.

"French Polynesia. But it's a private island, so it's not anything you would recognize from a map. We're actually not far from Bora Bora though… Cool, huh?" Leigh answered.

"Yeah… cool." I tired to remember where Bora Bora was in relation to North America. If I was correct, then it was somewhere along the Pacific ocean, in between Hawaii and Australia…

Suddenly Cam turned his head to the right as if someone had spoken his name. "Oh, sorry, they need me to referee their game. Leigh can stay here and talk to you though, right, Leigh?"

"Sure." She said with a genuine smile as Cam disappeared, "So what else would you like to know…?"

Leigh proved to be an excellent source of information. And within a week, I had the answers to most of my questions, however disappointing some of them had been. The encouraging news was that I discovered privately owned jets left the island at least once a week towards New York City, Paris, Tokyo, L.A., and a few other choice locations. The planes were small though, and sneaking onto one of them with a bunch of superhuman passengers would be no easy feat. There was supposedly cell phone service as well, but there were one hundred and fifty vampires on the island and I had yet to see even a single Nokia. I wasn't sure how communication could help me, anyway. Who would I call, the police? Ha. Edward? There was nothing more comforting than the thought of hearing his soothing voice, but he would demand to know where I was and he would get himself killed in the rescue attempt.

The news about the change was even worse. I already knew that becoming a vampire would take three excruciating days, but I hadn't realized how much time it would take for me to adjust and to learn self-control. Leigh, who had been a very disciplined vegan as a human, had said proudly that it had only taken her thirty years to perfect her new diet. Apparently, I would desire blood more than anything. And even though things would be different for me, because there were no humans on the island for me to attack, I would be crazed by the anguish of bloodlust. _Only thirty years_. And that wasn't even the worst part, because I was sure I could wait even that long if it meant returning to Edward without murdering every warm-blooded creature in my sight. The worst news was that everyone I spoke to was positive that I would forget all my human memories.

I wasn't worried about the agony of the transformation, I was anxious about forgetting everything I'd ever known. I was terrified of forgetting Edward. But I could see no other option. Would I wait until the change was forced upon me? Would I wait until Edward, or one of the other Cullens was hurt on my behalf? Becoming a vampire was the only way I could possibly escape, the only way to even the odds in my favor. No. There was no alternative. I would just have to take my chances and hold on with all my strength to my memories, to my humanity.

"Chris!" I shouted. He appeared in front of me a few moments later. I had been carefully avoiding him for the entire length of my stay, but now I needed his help.

"Yes, Bella. How can I be of service?" he replied.

"I'm ready for you to change me now… I- I'm ready." I spoke with finality, trying to quiet my concerns and fears.

"Now?" He raised his brows in question, "I mean, of course. Everything is prepared, I just… What brought about this change of heart?"

"I'm tired of being the only weak one around," I answered, and that much was true. "And I'm ready to move on with my life. There's no point in procrastination."

"Alright. When?" Chris's voice oozed with satisfaction, although he tried to keep his tone level.

"Now. Right Now," I answered. For a second his eyes tightened with suspicion, but he could see no advantage on my part. After all, this is what he wanted.

"Alex," he called. He spoke to the other vampire in a frequency I couldn't decipher and in a few minutes he was finished. "Come, Bella." Chris led me into a corridor I had never seen before, into a crimson colored room. Four or five other vampires stood by the entrance, and I recognized one from the club, Suede, where this had all started. His power was paralysis and I realized that he must be there as a precaution should Christopher or one of the others get out of control. I gulped instinctively as I was forced to recognize that this was not a fool-proof process. I could die.

Shaking my head of that thought I looked around the room. Beside the satin sheets were a host of medical supplies: syringes, painkillers, all in hopes of alleviating my transition. "Lie down, Bella. Everything's going to be alright." Chris commanded. Fear rose again in my throat and I pushed myself forward to lie across the large canopied mattress. Please G-d, give me the strength to go through with this, I prayed.

Christopher eased himself on top of me. I fought back revulsion and tried to concentrate instead on my human memories, on my angel. "If anything even seems to be going wrong I've ordered them to restrain me. Alex will paralyze anyone who tries to harm you. Do not worry." Chris began to lower his lips to my neck, kissing and caressing my skin there. He looked at my face then and perhaps he saw the raw panic that threatened to consume me at any moment, because he stopped kissing and moved to my vein. "Ready?"

I nodded."I'm ready." I felt his razor teeth at my skin and then screamed at the gush of pure unadulterated pain as he tore through me. "Edward, I love you," was my last conscious thought.

EPOV

Nothing. Nothing. Alice could see absolutely nothing. I had no inkling, no clue as to Bella's welfare. Was she a vampire? Was she alive? Was there any chance she was still human? Perhaps she had found some way… No, I could not allow myself to hope for so much. Alive… well, alive as our kind could be, was good enough. I could not imagine her pain… the transformation was excruciating… There were so many things that could go wrong. _And I wanted to be there to comfort her,_ came an errant thought. Yes. If I could imagine her changed, then I could imagine seeing it through by her side, stroking her, murmuring to her, or humming her lullaby to assuage the agony.

Damn it. Damn it, where was she? If I could only figure out her location then maybe I could… A plot began to formulate in my mind. I would have to be very careful… but if I could somehow find her, I might be able to slip her away unscathed. I couldn't fight them, but perhaps I was quick enough to steal her back. We could run to somewhere remote before they noticed she was gone, the thickets of the Amazon, or the glaciers of Antarctica. The family would have to hide away, as well, but it was a sacrifice I was sure they would make for my happiness.

I paced around my living room, carelessly knocking around furniture and belongings. The plan was a long-shot, I admitted. But even if it took hundreds of years… even if I were destroyed in the attempt… there was no alternative. Christopher and his coven were too many, too powerful. I racked my brain for any minute clue, any minuscule tidbit that would help me find her. I knew Christopher, we were once friends. I knew his mind. I could do this… I rewound every conversation I had ever had with him and played it over in my head… If I were Christopher, where the hell would I go? Determined to answer this question, I paced faster and faster. My foot caught against the edge of the couch and flipped it over, knocking down the coffee table. The small pile of magazines above it scattered about, pages fluttering down to the floor.

Edward?" Esme's soft voice asked.

I looked up at her and then down at the mess I had made. What benefit was there of destroying our home, a home Esme worked tirelessly to make beautiful? "I'm sorry, Esme. I'm so sorry." I dashed around the room picking up the torn shiny pages.

"No, Edward, please… It's alright… you don't have to… Edward?" Esme's voice turned with concern as I froze suddenly gazing at the cover of one of the fallen magazines. 'Win an all expense paid beach vacation to Tahiti…'

That's it, I recalled. "If you could live anywhere in the entire world, where would it be, Edward?" Chris had asked me, so long ago... It had been too sunny to go outdoors, so we were waiting out the day inside, together. "Nowhere." I had said grimly. "Six feet under the ground, if I could." He had just rolled his eyes. "Oh Edward, stop being so morose. You know where I would go? I'd go to Tahiti. Lie on the beach all day in the sun… do you think they'd mind if they saw me sparkling brighter than a bauble at their beaches?" he'd laughed heartily at his own joke...

"That's it." I said aloud.

"What's it?" Esme asked, alarmed now at my intensity.

"That's it. That's it! Well it's a starting point anyway, French Polynesia." I said even louder.

"What's in French Polynesia?" Emmett appeared.

"Bella, maybe. I'll have to see." I replied.

"See _what_?" Emmett asked again, but I was too far ahead, already making plans in my head to find her, to save her. I can read minds after all, it shouldn't be too difficult to navigate around whoever guarded her…

"Edward, what's going on?" Carlisle. My entire family and the Neilans had gathered at the sound of my ruckus. Well, I at least owed them an explanation before I left. And they would have to move soon.

"I _think _that Christopher's coven is somewhere by Tahiti, you know, French Polynesia, Bora Bora… Anyway, I'm going to start looking for her there and move westward… And when I find her, and I _will_ find her, no matter how many years it takes, I'm going to sneak her away and we'll hide for the rest of our lives. Oh, and you should probably go into hiding too, for your safety."

"Edward that plan is crazy." Carlisle reasoned. Truthfully, my plan sounded insane even to my own ears...

"Does anyone have a better alternative?" I replied. No one answered. "Ok. Then I'm going now. And I'm going alone."

"Don't be ridiculous, Edward. Let's think this over. And we're going with you." Alice exclaimed.

"No. If there's more than one of us, it's more likely we'll be detected. This is something I have to do. By myself. That's not negotiable." Carlisle inhaled sharply and remained silent for a long time.

"Alright. Ok. I can't think of another way. But just look at yourself, Edward. You're a mess. You haven't fed in weeks, you haven't stopped pacing for days… Right now you're at your weakest, son. And for this mission you need to be your strongest," he glanced pointedly at the Neilans. "Edward, before you go… let's make you strong."

I read his mind and caught the gist of what he meant… I shook my head, horrified. "No. I won't do it. Please, anything but that."

.

**Author's note**: Please, please, please tell me what you think. I'm almost done writing the next chapter, but I'm not going to release it unless I get 20 reviews on this chapter. So if you're interested in reading more, please give me some feedback!! It's not food for my ego, I just want to know how I'm doing. PLEASE


	14. Surprises

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight…

**Chapter 14 – Surprises**

BPOV

_Chris began to lower his lips to my neck, kissing and caressing my skin there. He looked at my face then and perhaps he saw the raw panic that threatened to consume me at any moment, because he stopped kissing and moved to my vein. "Ready?" _

_I nodded. "I'm ready." I felt his razor teeth at my skin and then screamed at the gush of pure, unadulterated, pain as he tore through me. "Edward, I love you," was my last conscious thought._

The next few days passed in what I can only describe as a blurry dream. Sometimes I could hear some snippets of the conversation around me and other times I could see Christopher standing over me with a concerned expression, but most of the time I was completely unaware of my surroundings or myself. Whenever I felt the flicker of fire returning in my veins it was quickly dulled with more medication than was probably safe for a human to take in an entire year.

But now, the pain and numbness had both passed. I heard someone whisper, "Bella, are you awake?" Cold hands held my face and my body instantly soothed as if reassured by the familiar feel. "Bella?" I opened my eyes unwillingly and it took me a few seconds to recognize Christopher's classic good looks.

I groaned. The normal lighting felt so much more intense to my new eyes. "Everything is so much brighter, it hurts." Suddenly, I heard huge slams against the wooden floor and I was sure that it was about to collapse. It took me a little while to realize that the sound was just Christopher's light footsteps. "And louder. Ouch."

"Don't worry, you just need a bit of time to adjust to your new body," he reassured me, but something about him was off, concerned still somehow. Right. New body. I was a vampire. I couldn't believe I was finally, actually changed. I needed to see the proof for myself. I tried to get out of bed, using one of the wooden poles of the canopy to support myself. Abruptly I heard a loud crunching and watched in astonishment as the thick pole snapped in half and crumbled to pieces, tilting the entire frame of the bed.

"I never liked the furniture in here anyway," he chuckled. He offered his hand and helped me lift myself. Weirdly, I observed that my skin tone didn't seem that much different from before. Maybe I really was part albino, I thought as I sat up. Immediately, I became aware of the dry ache in my throat. It was imperative that I drink something. Now.

"I need… I need water," I said gruffly. Christopher responded softly, an amused smile on his face. "No Bella, you need blood. You're one of us now, remember? Come, there's some game just a mile or so from here-"

"No. I need water. I'm telling you, I've felt like this before. I'm dehydrated." I maintained. He opened his mouth to protest.

"Please! Just get me something to drink. It's an emergency."

He was back in a moment with a tall glass of ice water. "Be careful, you're going to have to cough this up later, better not go too-" He paused, mid-sentence, shocked, as I guzzled down the liquid with relief.

"More, "I croaked. I drank until the sensation had all but disappeared into the faintest buzz. It wasn't until then that I registered what I had just done. I looked up at Christopher who was still too surprised to articulate anything.

"I- What? I'm… I was changed right?" I choked, panicking. I tried to gain control of my limbs but they felt like strangers. I finally managed to get up and speed across the room to find a mirror. What I saw horrified me even more. My face had been adjusted slightly. My nose was straighter and my jaw had become sharper, more angular in a way, which emphasized my new, thicker lips. My eyes were wider and slanted the tiniest bit outward. My lashes were longer and swept against my more prominent cheekbones, but my irises… My irises were not the topaz gold or blood red I had imagined myself with countless times. They were, in fact, the exact same shade of chocolate brown that they had always been.

And my skin tone had looked so familiar because it was familiar! It was the same light, peachy, shade that it had been before, not the stone white color of vampires. The shadows under my eyes were almost nonexistent as well. They were far less prominent than a vampire's even immediately after a hunting trip. My hair was smoother, a silkier material, and overall I was sure I was more beautiful than most humans, I recognized with some satisfaction, but I didn't look like a normal vampire.

"What, what's wrong with me? I'm almost the same. My eyes are brown. I- I drank water. And I'm not craving blood…" I stammered. "Am I human? I don't understand. What is this?" I pleaded, bewildered.

Christopher just shook his head. "I don't really know. I've never seen anything quite like this before. It's, perhaps… maybe it's some sort of power… Let's say… because your most dominant trait was your humanity…?" he offered tentatively.

Humanity was the key word. I recalled what I had determined to do before I was changed, to remember my past life, as a human, no matter how much time passed. Oh no, I had clung so obstinately to my humanity that I had remained human. Well, human-esque anyway.

"The strangest part is that you smell exactly as you did when I first saw you," he assessed.

Perfect. My stupid, ridiculous scent had stayed the same. The same darn scent that had tempted both Edward and later, James, to kill me. The same scent that had loudly proclaimed my humanity to Christopher, designating me as the perfect target. Now, even after I had been changed I was some sort of vampire freak and I smelled the same way. I hate my scent!

"Bella!" Chris shouted, alarmed. "What did you just do? If I hadn't seen you before me I would have thought you disappeared. It was like your scent just cut off…"

My _scent_… I thought about it again, how tedious and annoying and troublesome it was to smell this way… I was furious.

"You're doing it again. Wow, Bella. I think, well, it appears that in addition to your humanistic traits, you are somehow also able to diminish your scent, even dissolve it completely at your own will… Interesting, I mean, it's quite a handy talent."

"Handy?" I asked, doubtfully. To me, it seemed as though I was an abnormal, warped, vampire with an unhelpful talent. Who cared if I could lessen the way I smelled. I doubted that it could cause me more trouble, now that I was changed.

Christopher saw the skepticism on my face. "Well, as vampires we rely almost entirely on our keen sense of smell. It's how we locate our prey, recognize one another's presence… If you could cut off your scent, you'd be almost impossible to find, not that you'd particularly need that in this environment," he backtracked, not wanting me to think I would need to hide anytime soon.

"But that brings me to my next question… Bella, how much do you remember?" he asked.

I scrambled to recall all my memories, to check if they were in some way imperfect or modified. No, thankfully, I could remember everything. In fact, I could recall the last few years in more perfect detail than I could have done before. As I thought of Edward a huge pang of agony racked through my body. I reminded myself that I needed to stay on track and execute my plan. I was a vampire now, however strange, and I had to focus on escaping and finding my angel. I thought about all the details I had learnt throughout my stay at the mansion. If I was quick and creative, I might be able to catch Christopher off guard. But how would my strange abilities affect my escape?

I realized he was still waiting for me to answer. Lie, I told myself. Lie convincingly so that he won't suspect anything.

I tried to look pensive. "I, I wanted this, to be changed. I know all about vampires… We drink animal blood, sparkle in the sunlight, we're immortal," I bit my lip in false concentration. "My mother… my mother and father were divorced. She remarried... um Bill, a basketball player. No, that's not right… Am I supposed to remember? Everything's fuzzy," I sounded sad even to my own ears. Wow, maybe vampires were naturally good liars as well.

"It's different for everyone. Some people don't have any human memories, others have some… they all fade eventually though. It's better for you this way I think, you told me that you didn't want to dwell on your past," he spoke very quietly, so as not to hurt my new powerful ear drums. I nodded, relieved he believed my deception.

"So you don't remember anything about the past few years?" he qualified.

"Well, not specifically. I mean I remembered your name, when I looked at you. And I know that I'm safe here, and that we're on an island. I don't exactly remember how I got here, or why… I used to live in Washington, I think." I tried to appear thoughtful again.

"Don't trouble yourself, darling. Like I said, it's completely expected that you would forget things. It's easier this way. Trust me. Really, we should focus more on your, um, special situation. It truly is one of the most spectacular gifts I've ever seen and I think we should explore the details…" Chris gave me a brilliant smile.

Over the next few days we did explore the fine points of my odd condition. I discovered that while I appeared differently than the others, I still had all the same magnified senses and capabilities. My thirst for blood, however, was significantly muted. I didn't feel the overriding desire to attack even the wild animals in the forests around us. I'd gone hunting once with Christopher and Cameron and the experience had been interesting. The large jaguar I'd killed had tasted pleasant and satisfied the faint buzz in the back of my throat, but it hadn't been the fulfillment of a dire need.

Chris speculated that the lack of intense bloodlust was connected to the fact that I drank water. Food was not specifically appealing to me and I hadn't been hungry since I'd awoken, but every so often I would become uncomfortably parched.

"It may be that your body somehow runs on diluted blood. You only need to take in nourishment occasionally but you need the water to augment the supply…" he had stated after thinking for a long time. I had agreed, it was the best theory I had heard so far.

No one was positive about how I would react to humans, but most believed that if my craving was so naturally insignificant, then I would be all but immune to their appeal, as well. I truly hoped they were correct. If they were, then I wouldn't need to waste all those years at perfecting self-control. I could find Edward so much sooner, immediately even.

Another thing I experimented with was my scent. It could, I realized, be a very useful talent if I used it correctly. A more specific design framed in my mind. Of course! That would be how I would sneak on the plane, I decided. If I was able to get on to the jet to California before the other vampires did, then I could cut off my scent and stay quiet and none of them would discover my presence. It would still be a fairly difficult task, but once I slipped onto the plane I would be undetectable. So I spent hours learning how to manage and force my scent to diminish at my will. I was rather good at it after a few trial sessions.

After I got over the shock of all my oddities, I found that I really liked my special abilities. I remembered everything, after all, and that had been the most important to me. Somehow, I doubted I would ever forget my human experiences. It was also a tremendous relief not to fear that I would want to kill my own parents or friends out of bloodlust. I knew Edward would be especially pleased that I wouldn't have to struggle with the internal battle between my desires and my conscience that had always plagued him.

Even the fact that my appearance was not very different was a comforting asset. In fact, I wondered if the Cullens would even realize that I was a vampire when I finally saw them. I smiled fleetingly as I recalled Edward's request that I challenge Emmett to an arm wrestling match after I was changed. I was going to win. I was just as powerful as any newborn, but with the control and ease of a much older vampire. The combination was deadly. I felt the familiar twinge of sorrow at the thoughts of Edward and his family and I knew that I needed to return to them as soon as possible. I couldn't handle the grief anymore. I was thoroughly prepared. I needed to make my move.

What I was not prepared for, however, was Christopher's shift in attitude. It seemed that without the constant reminder and threat of Edward, he was actually a pretty nice guy. He would genuinely inquire about the welfare of all his people and address any problems with a calm and rational approach. He didn't push me romantically and he was content simply spending time with me, talking. Once I even found him gently returning a small blue egg to the nest it had fallen from, when he thought no one was around. I could see how, in another lifetime, he was friends with Edward. They had probably hunted evil humans together, probably waited out the sunny days together in hiding…

Sometimes, I would catch Chris just staring at me intently.

"What is it?" I finally asked.

"Nothing," he shook his head.

"Come on," I persisted.

"It's just… Well, you're making all my dreams come true. But I wonder if I'm fulfilling yours…"

The question was rhetorical. I avoided his gaze, looking away, apologetically. The truth was, Chris would make someone very happy someday, but that someone was simply not me, despite what he believed. I already had my soul mate and I needed him with every fiber of my being. Even the short time since we had been separated had felt like years of torture. I was sorry about Christopher's fate, but I couldn't be happy without Edward. I just couldn't. And the jet to California left tomorrow.

"I have to go," I'd answered and then sprinted away.

The next day I was especially careful to act casual. I offhandedly mentioned that I was going on a long hunt and then crept over to the area where the jets were kept, a few hours before departure. I took one last look at my beautiful surroundings. Soon, I would be back in Forks and all of this would seem like a dream… or more like a twisted nightmare. Everything would be different though, I knew. And we would probably have to flee instantly, before Christopher could come after us. But no matter what changed, I would have Edward. That's all I needed to survive.

I stretched thoroughly, knowing that I was about to spend a lot of time crouched in a tiny space, hidden on an airplane. I found the jet I needed. It only took a flick of the wrist to get the door open. I stepped over the threshold –

"Bella, where do you think you're going?" Christopher voice came from behind me, suspicious, angry, and confused simultaneously.

Damn it! He had found me. I weighed my options. I could fight him, I supposed. I had a chance of winning, too, since I was so strong, although Chris was definitely more experienced than I was. But what was I thinking! He's the damn leader of this coven. He would have help in seconds. And even if he didn't, I could never do what it takes to kill him, even if he was my captor… This was my only chance though. If he stopped me now, I'd probably never get away.

"Chris," I whispered, vacillating between lying and telling the truth. Finally I settled on honesty. "Chris, I remember. I remember everything. Please…"

His eyes tightened in disbelief. He shook his head in denial. "I can't believe… You, you _lied_ to me… I thought…" he stumbled over his words. "We were supposed to be together, Bella. I thought that we could –"

"No Christopher. I could never. I could never be with anyone except Edward, I just can't!" I exclaimed. "This whole time it has been hurting me, _killing_ me. Every second of every day has been painful. I love him! can't you see that? You stole me from the man I loved… That doesn't just dissolve, not after a couple of weeks and not even after a couple of decades. Please, please Chris. Please…" I begged.

He looked at my broken expression, his mouth pressed into a tight line. "What about me? Don't I deserve any happiness?" he demanded, his voice hard. "Don't I deserve any peace, any joy? Any love? We, we were going to have everything, Bella. It would've been perfect…" he stopped suddenly, sidetracked. "Leigh… her gift is to instill childbirth. We would've been parents…" his eyes glazed over and I could tell that he was picturing the whole thing in his mind's eye. "Why, Bella? First Allison, now you… I was growing to love you, Bella. In some ways, I loved you since I first heard you speak… I don't, I don't understand why this happened to me." He stopped talking then and I could see the anguish clearly on his face. It was the same look that I had seen at the club, pure and utter sadness.

"I'm sorry," I said, truly remorseful. I was surprised to see that my tear ducts still functioned, as well. His pain struck a chord with me. "I'm sorry that she broke your heart, but this is not my fault. I didn't mean to lead you on, I just – I need to get back to him. My whole being aches for him; I can't be there for you. I wish –"

"Stop, Bella," he waited for a while, thinking.

"I, I guess I brought this upon myself, I see that now. Damn it! I knew that you loved him and I took you anyway… And look, I've hurt you infinitely and yet you're apologizing to me. I _changed_ you," he spoke with fierce self-loathing. "I changed you, I stole your humanity, and it still didn't matter. You love him and only him."

I opened my mouth to say something, anything to make it better, because beneath his arrogant façade was a pain that I was newly familiar with.

"Go Bella!" He spoke harshly, then paused and softened his voice, "Go. You can go, Bella. You can go, I- I messed up." He chuckled humorlessly and turned away in defeat.

"Chris," I called after him. "Chris… you're going to find her someday. I just know it. I'm sure she's out there, somewhere. She's going to be everything you always dreamed about. And thank you, Chris. Thank you for letting me go…" he gave me a weak smile and then sped away. I felt remorseful but I was predominantly relieved. I was safe. We were safe. We wouldn't have to flee when I found Edward. Everything was going to be fine. No, everything was going to be perfect...

Since I was no longer in jeopardy of being caught by Christopher I spent the flight seated in one of the luxurious couches instead of concealed in a secret hideaway. None of the other vampires spoke to me, so it was a quiet trip. I regretted not having said goodbye to Cam, Leigh, and some of the other friends I had made at the mansion. But even though I had been freed, I thought it best to leave as soon as possible and not linger until another complication arose.

The entire trip I delighted in fantasizing about being reunited with Edward. He would be so surprised to see me. He would still be in Forks, I hoped. If not I would track him, follow him to the ends of the earth if necessary. I wondered how everyone would react to the fact that I was a vampire. Edward had been adamant that I remain human, but surely under these circumstances he would understand. It seemed like a different lifetime when we had last spoken about it in his bedroom, before Alice's party. After a while, I fell into my approximation of slumber. I didn't require sleep, like humans, but I wasn't immune to it, like other vampires, either. Instead I was like a super-sensitive sleeper. I could wake up at a moments notice if I chose. It was peaceful, if not completely refreshing.

Before I knew it we had reached the airport in California. I was immediately terrified that I would attack an unsuspecting human, but luckily, the predictions had been right and I felt no uncontrollable desire for their blood. Now I just had to get back home. I had no idea how to steal a car and though I was sure I could convince anyone of the men staring at me to drive me to Washington, I decided to run there instead.

Running, long-distance, through the forests, was every bit as exhilarating as Edward had described it. The speed was invigorating. I knew that when the time came I would probably enjoy driving faster as well. Edward was going to love that; he would definitely try to buy me a new fancy car… Well, maybe I wouldn't object this time. Maybe. Soon enough I was crossing the boundary into Forks. I passed by the town heading directly towards the comforting and beautiful Cullen home, which I had thought I would never see again. The turn off towards their driveway was much easier to spot now, impossible to miss. I smirked as I realized all the benefits of being a vampire.

As I ran I wanted to shout Edward's name at the top of my lungs. No, better to surprise him, I thought, thinking of all the times he had appeared out of thin air behind me or in my bedroom. I concentrated on fading my scent, until it was gone completely. I could hear from the noises in the house that they were home. I heard Edward's velvet voice in the living room. "It's alright. Really, I'm alright. Let's continue," he was telling someone. G-d how I had missed that voice...

I slowed my pace and slinked around to the eastern side of the house, to the huge glass windows and peered in. And there was Edward, my angel, on the couch, his eyes closed. The time away from him had made me even more susceptible to his beauty and I noted that he truly was the epitome of perfection. Sitting next to him was the pretty Neilan girl, Sara. But what really stunned me, what it took me a second or so to realize, is that they were both leaning towards each other, slowly, their lips about to touch in a sweet embrace.

"Oh My G-d," I gasped, staggering backwards. "Oh my G-d! He moved on."

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**Author's note and question:** Did you guys like this chapter? If you did please REVIEW! Also, would you guys like the next chapter to be in Bella or Edward's POV?

Questions, constructive criticism, and anonymous reviews are all welcome. Tell me what you think, I'm begging you! And thanks so much for reading, guys.

p.s. As much as I hate setting review limits, I probably won't update until I get 20 reviews...


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